Return of The Organization
by ForbiddenKHfan216
Summary: After defeating the Organization,Sora and his friends are finally home on Destiny Islands.When a mysterious figure appears,they must take up their Keyblades one more time, to defeat those who they thought were gone forever.Just who are they? 358/2spoilers
1. ReplikuHaru

****

I'm trying to make a serious fic for once; this is the end result.

Disclaimers: Kingdom Hearts is not mine.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx xx x x xx x xx x xx xx x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x xx x x X

"I've been to see them." the cloaked figure takes a seat by the silver haired boy.

"Good for you; so what?" He smirks.

"He looks an awful lot like him." The figure comments and tosses a stick into the water.

".... Not surprising in the least." The boy says and tosses a stone into the water, chasing the stick.

".....True. And Riku looks like you." The figure laughs.

"... Now you're just making fun of me. Considering I'm his just shadow and all." He scowls.

"You should take another name."

"Huh? Where the fuck did that come from?" the boy asks.

".... A new name. Riku Replica is a mouthful and Repliku's annoying." The figure says seriously.

"... What's wrong with it?" Riku Replica/Repliku asks.

".... You should take another name. And then you won't be Riku's shadow anymore. Here, I'll help." The figure pauses, contemplating names.

"... Hmm... Can't be Sora or Riku." Repliku jokes.

"Hahahahaha!" The figure laughs, their body trembling from the laughter.

"Geez, wasn't that funny." Repliku sighs and shakes his head.

"... I haven't had much to laugh at in a year or two. Sorry for laughing." The figure says and chuckles a bit more.

"...Hmm.... I can't think of any names." Repliku says.

"How about 'Haru'?"

"... Haru?" The figure nods.

"..... Yes, I think it suits you." The figure takes their hood off and smiles at Riku Replica.

"... Haru.... I kinda like it. But what does it mean?" Repliku asks.

"... Spring."

"SPRING?!"

"Spring is a time of new beginnings. And a time of final good byes. You need to say good bye to your past. And look to your future." The figure sighs, content.

".... Geez, get that off a fortune cookie?" Haru comments.

"Haha, you sound just like him." The figure laughs quietly.

"You really miss them, don't you?" Haru asks.

"Yes... They are my best friends. Of course I would." The figure sighs, and is quickly lost in memories.

".... Are you going to change your name?" Haru asks.

"Hmm?"

"I mean, you're the same as me; are you going to change your name too?" Haru asks again.

"No. I like being stuck in the past." The figure smirks.

"Lame. If I have to change MY fuckin' name, YOU have to too!" Haru says.

".... Hmm... What do I have to lose? Maybe I'll take a new name." The figure grins.

"Geez, for a minute there, you looked just like him." Haru comments.

"Like who?"

"Sora." Haru says.

".... Hahahahahaha, of course I would!" The figure starts laughing again.

"You never told me... just what your connection to him is."

".... I'm his shadow, created from the memories he shared with the Princess of Heart. How he remembers her." The figure says.

"... Then what's your name? Your true one, anyway."

"... I don't actually have a real one."

"... And you just add an 'X'. To get your name." Haru figures out.

"Yes.... You can call me whatever you want, I really don't care." The figure shrugs.

"....Are you trying to get the Organization back?" Haru asks, changing the subject.

"... Why the heck would I do that? I just want to have ice cream with them one last time." The figure says.

"... Ice cream?"

"... Hmm. The icing on the cake." The figure laughs and smiles gently at the sky.


	2. Xion: The Forgotten Number XIV

**I'm not all that sure about serious fics, but since I started, I should finish.**

**Disclaimers:Kingdom Hearts is not mine.**

**... Damn, I'm more emo than I thought.**

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx xx x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x**

Islands

"Will you ever stop being so serious?" Haru teases.

"Noo.... It's just who I am, stupid!" The figures laughs.

"... It's time to go back." Haru says and glances at a strange golden watch on his wrist.

"... Yes." The figure stands and creates a black swirling portal. They both step through, completely unafraid.

Castle That Never Was

"... You've returned." A man says and smiles.

"Yes DiZ. We're back." Haru rolls his eyes.

"Your report?" DiZ asks the cloaked figure.

"... They are completely normal. And happy." The figure says and looks toward the floor.

"Hmm. I suspected as much. And does Sora know about you yet?" DiZ asks, and removes his long cloak. Ansem the Wise looks toward the pair.

"No. He has no idea I exist at the moment." The figure says. They still stare at the floor beneath their black boots.

"... You must reveal yourself. In order to bring him out." Ansem the Wise says.

"HUH?! I thought the point was to STAY FUCKING HIDDEN!" Haru snarls. Ansem gives him a glare, and Haru falls silent.

"Do not use vulgarity in my prescence, REPLICA." Ansem says as if it was an insult.

"I understand, but-" The figure hesitates.

"Yes?" Ansem the Wise waits for the child's answer.

"What if... he doesn't remember?" The figure removes their hood for the first time since entering the Castle.

"Then... Make him remember, Xion." Ansem says with a bitter smile. Xion looks up and looks into Ansem's eyes, searching for an answer.

"But... Sora has no idea about me. What if Roxas doesn't either?" Xion asks, her black hair carefully hanging over her blue eyes. To hide them.

".... That shall be your mission then, XIV. Make that trio remember just what the Organization does. So they can finish what they started, then you shall return to Sora."

"... To make him complete?" Xion asks.

"Yes. You both shall be destroyed." Ansem says with a serious air about him.

"THAT IS BULL SHIT! WHAT THE FUCK GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO DECIDE IF WE DIE?! I WANT TO LIVE!" Haru screams.

"Enough Haru." Xion says quietly. Haru looks over to her, in shock.

"YOU CAN'T BELIEVE THIS XION! He just wants Sora back! What about us though?!" Haru asks her.

"... We were never meant to exist anyway. What does it matter?" Xion says, her normally bright and cheerful eyes clouding over with misery.

"You... don't really believe that, do you? You're complete now! We're not Nobodies, we're not Replicas anymore! We have HEARTS!" Haru says and grabs Xion's shoulders. He glares at her.

".... But we're not Others either." She removes his hands from her and starts walking for the door.

"Haru. I'd for you to join her in Destiny Islands." Ansem the Wise says.

"... Sure." Haru says.

"... You both created this Castle, resume responsibility for what you've done. For you may have unleashed. And... Bring back Namine." Ansem gives Haru a pair of rings and instructs him on what to do.

"Yes sir." Haru follows behind Xion.

"This won't be easy." She laughs.

"I've had worse. Fighting Sora." Haru jokes.

"... Is... he a good fighter?" Xion asks.

"Yeah. He beat the shit outta me."

".... I want to fight him. But... My last fight with Roxas...." Xion pauses, lost in memories.

Flashback

"Who are you...again? It's weird. I feel like I'm forgetting something really important." Roxas says as he stares at the girl who looks ready to collapse. His best friend, Xion.

"You'll be...better off now...Roxas." Xion says with no regret in her voice. She falls over, and Roxas catches her in his arms. She starts to splinter, and small glowing shards of memory float out of her body.

"Am I...the one who did this to you?" Roxas asks.

"No... It was my choice...to go away now. Better that, than to do nothing...and let Xemnas have his way. I belong with Sora. And now, I am going back...to be with him. Roxas..."She places her hand on his. He can only stare on in confusion.

"I need you...to do me a favor. All those hearts that I've captured... Kingdom Hearts... Set them free." Xion asks, her voice now filled with the regret she had for the task she was giving him.

"Kingdom Hearts... Free them?" Roxas repeats, unsure. Xion's legs start to become crystalline. Roxas gasps in fear for his friend. He touches the crystalline ice and looks back toward Xion's face.

"It's too late...for me to undo my mistakes. But you can't let Xemnas... have Kingdom Hearts. You can't. Good-bye, Roxas. See you again. I'm glad... I got to meet you. Oh...and of course, Axel, too. You're both my best friends. " She smiles at him and places a hand on Roxas's cheek.

"Never forget. That's the truth."

Roxas continues to hold her as even her eyes close. She drops her hand, but he catches it, scattering more memories in a flurry of light.

"No! Xion... Who else will I have ice cream with?" Roxas pleads. The crystal covers her entire body. Xion is bathed in warm glowing light until all that remains is a familiar seashell. Roxas touches it and remembers her smiling face as they sat on the clock tower together.

"Xion." Roxas murmers, in grief as the last of his memories of Xion fade away.

End Flashback

"Let's go. Haru." Xion says and puts her hood back up.

"Yeah. But... won't you regret it? I mean... They'll remember." Haru asks. Xion glances at his face and smiles.

"Who's being serious now?" Xion laughs and the pair both step through the portal, created by Xion.


	3. The Confrontation on Destiny Islands

**Gonna go work on some funnies, and I'm REALLY REALLY sorry about the people I keep making cry.**

**Seriously, I"m sorry......**

**Disclaimers: Kingdom Hearts isn't mine, though I'd make a pretty decent go on making a game.**

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On the far side of Destiny Islands, a portal opens.

"Haru... Can you confront your past?" Xion asks, her hood back on and covering her face.

"... Can you?" Haru challenges. Xion laughs.

"We'll just have to find out. Namine's our target right?" Xion asks. Haru nods.

"Yeah, she's complete with her Other; how do we get her out?"

".... The rings remember? Ansem said .... that they'd separate them." Xion says and slips on one of the two rings.

".. Black is yours and white's Namine's." Haru recites.

"Perfect. Doesn't clash with my outfit." Xion grins.

"Hahahaha! Hurry up, we gotta get to the school." Haru says and zips up his own Organization XIII jacket.

"......" Xion runs, with Haru close on her heels. They pass shop after shop, smiling Islanders, and each stare at the crazy kids running in all black on such a hot summer's day.

" 'Destiny Public High School.' " Haru reads.

"Let's go in." Haru nods and they both walk into the cool building. They pass classrooms, empty but expectant. After walking nearly the length of the building, they hear cheers.

"Huh?" Haru points out a window.

"COME ON SORA!!!" A girl cheers as two boys march onto the field, ready to sword fight for their school.

"WHAT?! I don't get any love?!" One laughs. The shorter one with brown hair grins and chants:

"R for really great!

I for is Invincible!"

"I meant from KAIRI, Sora!!!" the first, taller boy says and hits his friend's shoulder.

"Hahahaha!" The boy called Sora laughs and hoists his steel tipped sword to his shoulder.

"...Sora." Xion says, not in a question. Haru nods.

"Yeah. That's him." Haru confirms.

"I only saw Riku, so I assumed that was Sora." Xion says and they watch Riku shake hands with another boy, presumably from another school, judging by the different uniforms.

"You know, since this is gonna be overly dramatic anyways, why don't we watch for a while?" Haru says and pats the window sill.

".. Sure." Xion sits by him and they both watch the familiar pair shaking hands with their opponents.

"Hey Riku, not too hard on them, kay?" Sora teases his friend.

"Sure thing. But then it won't be as much fun!" Riku laughs.

"... They've really changed." Xion says.

"... Huh? Really?" Haru asks.

"Yes... I do remember some things from Sora. I remember... Riku was not that brave before." Xion smiles, pleased that Riku had changed so postively.

"Yeah.... Real Thing down there was a real coward." Haru says and starts looking through his pockets for the rings given to him by DiZ.

"... I have mine." Xion says and touches a bracelet made of two entertwining wings.

"YEAH!!!" Sora cheers as he disarms the boy he had been sparring with.

"D-D-Damn!" The boy stammers and tries to retrieve his sword. Riku picks it up and throws it to Sora.

"Valor him!" Riku calls out and he disarms his own opponent.

"WE SURRENDER!!!" Both boys call out.

"Huh?" Sora and Riku say in unison.

"What a rip off." Xion comments. Haru gets mad.

"HEY! REAL THING! FIGHT SOMEONE YOU CAN ACTUALLY BATTLE WITH!!!" Haru screams. He jumps off the window and runs to the arena.

"... I thought we were after Namine!! Haru!!" Xion calls after him but he ignores her.

"Huh?!" Riku says as Haru reaches him. Haru rips off his hood and grins.

"Yo Real Thing! How's it been?" He says with a laugh.

"R-R-Riku! He looks just like you!" Sora says in confusion.

"You know, it really sucks if someone close to you forgets you, dude." Haru's body shimmers with dark energy.

"Riku Replica!" Riku says and grips his sword tighter.

"Actually... It's Haru now." Haru grins again, his Dark Suit in place and his Soul Eater on his shoulder. Haru grins as both boys rush at him with their sparring swords.

"THAT'S MORE LIKE IT!" Haru shouts and dodges their blows by jumping about 10 feet in the air.

"Did you see that?!"

"How did he-?!"

"Not human!" A murmer of whispers flow through the crowd. Xion smirks, still on the window ledge.

"... Guess I'll have to improvise." Xion laughs and vanishes in a cloud of dark light.

"C'MON! I remember you fighting lots better than THIS, Riku!" Haru taunts as he continues to dodge Riku's and Sora's combined attacks.

"Keyblade him!" Sora says and summons his Kingdom Key.

"Right!" Riku summons his Way To Dawn.

"Whoa! Soul Eater got an upgrade. Pretty fuckin' sweet!" Haru comments and Riku responds by rushing at him.

"....Kairi." Xion whispers.

"HUH?!" Kairi turns around and Xion slips the bracelet onto her wrist.

"WHAT?! SORA! RIKU!!!" Kairi screams but Xion just holds her down.

"ORGANIZATION XIII!" Sora and Riku shout in unison.

"Sure, we'll go with that." Haru laughs. Xion forcefully stands Kairi up from the stands.

"KAIRI!" The boys try to go help her, but Haru just appears in front of them.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk! You two know better than to do that! Finish my fight before you take on that kid." Haru teases.

"Angels will fly." Xion whispers into Kairi's ear. Kairi's eye dullen and she falls forward, in a faint.

"KAIRI!" Sora calls out again, but Xion stands up and sets Kairi down onto the ground.

"Haru. We're done." Xion says and the bracelet around Kairi's wrist vanishes.

"GREAT!!! ... But where's Namine?" Haru asks.

"... YOU'RE FROM ORGANIZATION XIII AREN'T YOU?!" Sora demands. He readies his Keyblade to send toward the hooded figure.

"... No, only shadows." Xion says, and suddenly freezes.

"... XIV?" Haru touches her shoulder.

"R-R-Roxas?" Xion stammers.

".. Roxas? YOU_ ARE_ FROM THE ORGANIZATION!!!" Sora growls.

".... Awaken, Princess of Heart." A deep voice says from behind the Replicas.

"DIZ?!" DiZ helps Kairi up.

"What.... What happened?" Kairi asks, her eyes confused and unfocused.

"My apologies, Kairi. My Replicas were too rough on you." DiZ says and gives Kairi a potion.

".... DiZ! What happened to 'remain hidden'?" Haru asks.

"I should ask you the same. Why did you openly attack the Keyblade Master?"

"I... I...." Haru struggles for words.

"You two will be punished. Find Namine immediately." Ansem the Wise commands.

"Yes sir." Haru says and grabs Xion's arm. She shakes him off.

"ROXAS! Come back to us! We can find Axel! And we can keep our promise! Do you remember?! On the Clock Tower! You promised, promised to have ice cream with us again! Me and Axel! Your best friends! Don't you remember?!" Xion screams.

"Roxas cannot hear you. He is complete with Sora. He will not be neccessary to revive." DiZ says.

"W-What?" Xion asks, an expression of grief and shock on her face.

"Only Namine is neccessary to our plans, Xion." DiZ says.

".....I... Understand." Xion says and summons her Keyblade.

"Huh?! WHO ARE YOU? And why do you have a Keyblade?!" Riku demands.

"....We've been over this before." Xion says with a bitter smile and removes her hood. She has the form of Sora when he was fourteen.

"What... But how-?" Riku starts.

" 'I might just be... the biggest Nobody of them all. ' " Xion quotes and stands with Haru and DiZ.

"What..." Riku pauses but he suddenly remembers something.

Flashback

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Xion...your memories...they really belong to Sora." Riku says as both he and a cloaked figure sit together and watch the sunset.

"So you mean...I'm like a part of him?"

Xo o o o o o o o o o o X

"Did you find the right answer?" Riku asks as he stands on the bridge of Beast's Castle.

"Yeah. I did. I'm on the verge of losing everything I ever cared about.I can't let that happen. Tell me what I need to do." A familiar voice pleads.

"Go to Twilight Town. You'll find a girl there by the name of Naminé." Riku advises. He doesn't move toward the figure, instead just stands and watches her.

"Naminé? What's she like?"

"You'll find out. I don't think you'll have much trouble tracking her down." Riku says, a little bitter.

"All right. Thanks, Riku. Good-bye..." the figure vanishes into a portal. He still can't remember the face.

X o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o X

A confrontation in the Bridge of Beast's Castle, two cloaked figures battle, one weilding the Kingdom Key, the other Soul Eater.

One strikes out her Keyblade and runs forward, but is struck down, There is a glimpse of silver hair and a black cloak.

The Keyblade flies to the ground. It gets impailed on the brick pathway of the bridge. The figure is on their knees, panting. It collapses. The silver-haired man turns around and dispels his own blade. He kneels over the figure and pulls the hood back. He lifts one side of his blindfold, showing a blue eye, and gasps, stepping back from the figure. It tries to get up, clutching their side.

"Your face... Who are you really? And why do you have a Keyblade?" Riku asks. The figure puts back on their hood.

"Tell me first...why you are dressed as one of us." It demands. Riku walks over to the fallen Keyblade and pulls it out from the brick.

"I don't know who you're supposed to be. But...you can't fight fire with sparks. This Keyblade, it's a sham--worthless." Riku throws the Keyblade aside. The figure gets mad.

"My Keyblade is not a sham! What gives you the right to say that?!" It demands, and gets up. The figure snatches the Keyblade from the ground and runs at Riku, snarling. He moves left to dodge their attack, and slams his fist into the figure's injured side. It falls to the ground and the Keyblade disappears. Riku stands up and turns to walk away.

"Find a new crowd. Trust me. Those guys are bad news." He advises the figure. He starts to walk away. The fallen figure struggles to their knees.

"Why? You're the real sham." the figure taunts before cluching their side in agony. Riku laughs bitterly.

"Fair enough. You could say I am...the biggest nobody of them all." He leaves and behind him, the figure screams.

End Flash back

"What... What was that?!" Riku gasps and falls to the ground.

"RIKU!" Sora runs to his friend and helps him up.

"Who are you guys!" Sora demands.

"..Sora... They're... Replicas... of you and Riku." Kairi stands up and Xion looks at her.

"That's right princess." Xion opens a portal behind her and she changes her shape back to normal.

"K-K-Kairi?!" Sora says in astonishment as he stares at the black haired girl.

"..Sora. No matter how much you try, no matter how much you look like him, no matter what you say, Roxas is not you. You are not Roxas. And you'll NEVER become him." Xion says bitterly and vanishes into the portal. DiZ and Haru follow behind her, not looking at the trio of teens behind them.

"What?... Roxas?" Sora asks, and a single tear slides from his eyes. He lightly touches his cheek and looks in bewilderment at the shining drop of water.

"Who .... Just who are you?" Sora asks, and his figure changes into that of Roxas for just a moment.

"Ugh....." A flash of blinding pain and Sora collapses. Riku closes his eyes, and falls unconsious. Kairi moans and she too, blacks out. Just before Sora falls into unconsiousness, he hears a familiar voice:

"Xion... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

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**Okay for those wondering, 'cloaked figure' IS Xion.**

**It's only like that to show that *insert here* doesn't remember her.**


	4. Namine The Memory Witch

**Next chapter up!**

**Disclaimers: KH is not mine, and etc ect.**

**Enjoy and I'll go work on something else!**

**X x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xX**

".... It's so cold..."

Why couldn't Kairi sleep with a blanket or something? The sleeping figure moans, and turns on her side, her face covered by the single piece of paper that had fallen off the wall.

"... Where..?" She sits up, confused. Namine, Kairi's Nobody and the witch with control over Sora's memories, was finally awake.

"Isn't this..?" Namine asks herself, looking around. White walls, covered in scraps of drawings and other doodles. She glances at the one on her lap. Three figures in black cloaks, one with black hair, another one with long red hair, and the final one with spikey blonde hair.

"....Roxas..." Namine says in grief and a tear slides down her cheek. She touches it and stares in wonder at it.

"I've.... got a heart." She whispers just before bursting into tears.

"KAIRI!" She sobs, clutching the picture close to her chest.

Castle That Never Was

"You have greatly disappointed me, both of you." DiZ tells the two teens in the room.

"We SAID we were sorry." Haru says and rolls his eyes.

"That does not make up for the fact you were unable to find Namine." DiZ says, scolding them.

"We'll look again. But we didn't understand what you meant." Xion says.

"...What I meant? What do you mean child?" DiZ asks, and leans back in his chair.

" 'A place precious to them'. We didn't get it." Xion says.

"You must look for a place which would be special for them; a place they would feel safe. There you will find each Organization member and even Namine herself." DiZ explains.

"Sooo..... A place where they spend a lot of time?" Haru asks.

"Indeed, that would be a good guess." DiZ says.

"...Twilight Town. In the Haunted Mansion." Xion says, glancing at her hand at the two black and white rings on her fingers.

"Very good. I suggest you look there and in Destiny Islands." DiZ advises.

"WHAT?! WE JUST LEFT THERE!" Haru snaps.

".....Her Other is from the Islands. It's only logically she could feel a strong bond to Kairi and wish to remain close to her." DiZ says. He notices Xion not paying attention and staring dazed at the window, a smile on her face.

"Fourteen, do you have something to share?" He asks.

"....I think I know where the next to awaken is going to appear." Xion says with a secret smile.

"Then tell us after you find Namine." DiZ opens a Corridor for them and they walk through, laughing at a private joke.

"........" Diz sighs and he opens a secret passage in the wall. He walks through it, completely unafraid. He reaches a room where 13 sleeping figures lay dormant.

"....Namine's case is empty. She has awaken fully." DiZ says to himself and gently puts his hand on a broken glass case, the inside graffitied with the remants of chains. He glances at the one next to it, also broken. This one was covered in what looked like meaningless sticks of wood, but on further inspection were what remained of ice cream pops. Another next it had the remains of what looked like dark armor, and even a snapped sword.

"... We emerged from here." He murmers to himself again and looks into a case next to it. A sleeping boy, about 15 years old, smiles gently in an unknown dream. The boy sighs in his endless sleep and moves his hand to his chest.

"...Roxas." DiZ whispers and places his hand on the boy's case. The boy doesn't stir but a man nearby does. The man opens his eyes, looking around for a moment. Then sleep overtook him once more, and the man's clear green eyes closed as he fell back into a dark sleep.

Twilight Town

"......" Namine looks around nervously. She still cluches a picture close to her chest, afraid to let it go.

"C'mon! Last one there buys the ice cream!!" A boy cheers and slams into her.

"oh!" Namine drops to the ground and the boy groans.

"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING HAYNER!" A girl with long brown hair scolds. She sighs and tugs at her orange shirt.

"Shut up Olette! It was an accident, miss. I'm really really sorry." Hayner apologizes and helps Namine up.

"...You're... his friends." Namine says and looks at each of their faces.

"Huh?" They look confused.

"Just... Where am I? I don't know anymore...." Namine says and holds the picture closer.

"Um... This is Twilight Town! Hey, if you don't mind, we'll show you around if you want!" Olette offers.

"....Thank you." Namine accepts the offer and they start showing her around.

"This is the-" Pence starts to say.

"Sandlot." Namine finishes.

"And over there's the-" Olette says.

"....Sea Salt Ice Cream Stand." Namine smiles.

"I thought you said you didn't know your way around!" Hayner says.

"....My memories are coming back... I guess even my chains won't let me forget this place." Namine sighs, perfectly content.

"OH really! Then you won't mind coming with us!" A boy's voice says. The group turns around and there's two cloaked figures standing behind them.

"Namine, we need your help." One says.

"C'mon, Xi! Let's just take her and DiZ can explain the rest." The boy says to his companion and he removes his hood. He grins, his blueish green eyes flashing mischeviously at the group.

"R-Riku?" Namine asks nervously.

"...... HARU." Haru sighs and pulls out his Soul Eater.

"OH! You're the Riku Replica!" Namine says and takes a step forward.

"Yup. Now, DiZ sent us to go get you. C'mon!" Haru grabs her wrist and the trio vanish in a cloud of black flames.


	5. Xion's Decision and the Second Cloak

**Okay, this works a LOT better in my head....**

**Disclaimers: Kingdom Hearts isn't mine. As far as I know! Only the idea so far is mine.**

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x X**

Castle That Never Was

"Do you have any idea what you're doing?" Haru asks in a whisper as Xion heads to the computer room, where DiZ's study was.

"Yes. I'm sure." Xion smiles and she manages to reach the secret room.

"...Whoa." The thirteen sleeping figures are all lined up and each in their own case.

"...Larxene." Haru says and recognizes a sleeping woman. She's grimacing in her sleep and a knife is in between her fingers on one hand.

"...Axel. Axel..." Xion whispers and she stares at the image of her beloved friend, unable to stop herself from crying. He's smiling gently in his sleep, his emerald green eyes closed.

".....Xion. I found Roxas." Haru says softly. Xion looks away from Axel and then walks to her next friend. Roxas sleeps fitfully, his face contorted in pain.

"...What's... What's wrong with him?" Xion asks, a single tear falling from her eyes.

"....I think... Maybe he's ....getting sick inside there. We gotta bust him out." Haru says and pulls out his Soul Eater.

"...But..What if DiZ finds out?" Xion hesitates.

"Do you want your friend back? That's the real question." Haru asks.

"....Give me that." Xion lifts the Soul Eater and concentrates hard. She manages to turn it to her own Kingdom Key. She slams it down onto the crystalline structure and it shatters.

"Roxas!" Xion pleads and throws the Keyblade toward the wall. The sleeping Roxas awakens.

"...Where?" He murmers just before his body begins to shatter.

"NOO! ROXAS!" Xion screams and grabs his hand.

".... Didn't... I....forget you?" Roxas asks and his blue eyes, once sparkling with life, glaze over and close.

"Roxas, no! Please! Come back to us! We can finish what we started, we don't have to listen to Xemnas anymore! He's GONE!" Xion pleads with her friend.

"...Why... Does the sun set red?" Roxas asks with a smile.

"... Because.. Light is made up of a bunch of colors! And.. And red is the one that travels the farthest." Xion says, tears falling off her face.

".... 'Never Forget. That's the Truth.' " Roxas laughs and he vanishes.

"NOOOO!!!! ROXAS! ROXAS! COME BACK! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY I FOUGHT WITH YOU!!! Come back! Come back!!" Xion sobs, her face contorted with grief.

"Xion.... I thought... Maybe we could get him out. I'm sorry." Haru says. Xion doesn't answer, her grief too strong and she was falling into a dark depression.

" She just wanted her friend back. Perhaps that was too much to ask, little Xion." DiZ says. The two Replicas turn.

"I JUST WANTED ROXAS AND AXEL BACK!!!" She sobs and runs to DiZ. He comforts her and cradles her as if a child.

"Patience little one. Roxas may be gone, but Axel isn't. You'll have to wait for him." He says soothingly to her.

"I'm... I'm sorry! Roxas, I'm so sorry! I just wanted for us to be best friends again!!!" Xion cries.

Twilight Town

"Where Am I?" The figure asks himself. He chuckles and removes their hood.

"..It's good to be home again." It says and smiles at the familiar sight of the Clock Tower.

Flashback

"Roxas... Are you really sure you don't have a heart?" A serious question, weird coming from him.

"I dunno... I just can't... look inside."

"But I figure... if there is something in there, inside us... we'd feel it, right?"

"Fair enough." They both smile and watch the sunset.

Flashback End

".... Maybe... I shouldn't wait anymore. I've lost too many people I care bout." The figure laughs bitterly and vanishes in a portal made of black light.

Behind it, gets dropped only a tiny glass sphere, made of bright blue crystal, the same color as the sky on a perfect summer's day, that vanishes back to the figure who laugh as they feel it return.

"...My summer vacation's... over. Right?" They laugh and turn the crystalline sphere to the sky and watch the last remnants of sunset seep through it, turning it a glowing sapphire.


	6. Roxas The Key of Destiny

**Damn this is a long one.**

**Enjoy and remember this is not mine and to review!**

**x x x x xx x x x x x xx x x x x xx x x x x x xxxxxx x x x**

Castle That Never Was

"I'll... Do whatever you want DiZ. Just let me keep Axel." Xion says.

"...You'll have to rethink that. Do you really believe that he'll let you live when he finds out that you've killed his best friend?" DiZ asks.

"No. I don't." Xion smiles bitterly. But unafraid. She meets DiZ's questioning gaze, holding her head up high and completely without fear.

"I see.... Axel ... Will be the only remaining member of Organization XIII." DiZ says.

"...You mean it?" Xion says, trying not to get her hopes up.

"Of course..... AFTER we neutralize him." DiZ says.

"What? What the fuck's that mean?" Haru asks confused.

"We shall remove any of his powers from his body, making them inaccesible to him. Then he shall be able to live a normal life. Is this what you want for your friend?" DiZ asks a final time.

"......Yes." Xion says.

"You will not be able to be with him. You realize that? And you still wish for him to live?"

"...Yes. He's my very best friend." Xion smiles and lightly touches the back her neck, remembering the blow that Axel himself had given her to return her to the Organization.

"Go to Twilight Town. You'll see someone important there." Haru suddenly says.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Xion asks.

"...just go." Haru smiles at her.

Destiny Islands

"Where... Oh. This is where he lives." The figure says and takes a look around. Palm trees, sand and very nice small buildings.

"YOUNG MAN!" A woman's voice yells. The figure decides to ignore it and keep exploring.

"I AM TALKING TO YOU SORA!" The woman walks right behind the figure and grabs him by the hood.

"Huh? Can I help you?" The figure asks.

"...Yes you can Sora! You're better not skipping school ag-" The figure blinks in surprise.

"Sora? Where is he? I need to find him! Maybe he knows what's happening to me...." The figure says.

"Huh? You're not...." The woman lets go of him.

"..... Sora?" The figure spots movement as a group of three kids run on the beach. They were....

"SORA! RIKU! KAIRI!" The figure calls out and runs after them.

"HEY! YOUNG MAN!" The woman calls desperately.

"Huh?" Sora notices someone running after them.

"SORA!" The figure skids on the sand and lands clumsily on his butt.

"Oww...." He moans and the hood falls off.

"ROXAS?!" Sora and Kairi yell in unison. Riku scowls and pulls out his Way To Dawn Keyblade.

"What? Don't I get a 'Hello Roxas! Nice to see you again?' at the very least??" Roxas says and stands up. He brushes the sand off his Organization coat and smiles.

"....ROXAS!" Sora runs up to him and happily shakes his hand.

"Roxas, it's great to see you!" Kairi smiles and gives him a hug.

"..What the hell are you doing here? And... Why the fuck are you out of Sora?" Riku snarls.

"...If I KNEW, would I be here?" Roxas sneers back. He flicks his blonde hair out of his face and turns back to Sora and Kairi.

"Where's Namine?" He asks shyly.

".....Namine's....gone. She's not here anymore." Kairi says sadly.

"We don't know if she's alive or .... you know." Sora says and tries to smile at his Nobody.

"......Oh. I thought... Maybe something had happened to Sora, and I thought maybe... It was stupid. So what's going on? I'm really confused." Roxas says and smiles again.

"We don't know! Some girl attacked us and she said that I wasn't you." Sora tells him.

"..... A girl?" Roxas says and his eyes unfocus as he remembers something.

Flashback

Roxas looks over to the cloaked figure and then enters the dark corridor, the small figure following close behind. They were on a mission assigned by Saix, number VII of the Organization.

They arrive in the Sandlot of Twilight Town

"Let's go." Roxas suggests to the shadowy figure. They don't say anything but simply looks to Roxas for orders.

I'm in charge, huh? Roxas thinks to himself. They decide (Roxas decided) to look for their target, a Poison Plant Heartless, around the town.

After a while, they find the Poison Plant in the Underground Tunnel and take moments to defeat the giant plant like Heartless.

"I've got someplace to be. You go ahead and RTC without me." Roxas says as they reach the RTC spot. The figure says nothing and enters the dark corridor. Roxas has ice cream on the clock tower alone.

End Flashback

"What?.. What was that?" Roxas asks himself.

"...Roxas.... Do you remember?? That dream...." Sora says and falls forward.

"SORA!" Kairi grabs him but then Roxas too collapses.

Flash back???

"Where are we?" Sora asks to his companion.

"I don't know.... But doesn't it look familiar?" Roxas asks. He doesn't seem to be concerned that both he and Sora were there. Sora looks over and he gets a look of confusion on his face.

"....These are the Islands!" They say in unison. But then they notice that the Clock Tower from Twilight Town was also there.

"You're both right. But both wrong." A sweet and familiar voice says. They turn around. A girl in an Organization jacket greets then with a smile and a familiar wave.

"...Who are you?" Roxas asks. The figure laughs.

"I'm me. I'll take you on a tour." She smiles and her blue eyes sparkle as the pair follows her.

"This is a combination of both of your memories, Roxas, Sora." She says.

"...Huh?" They look confusingly around.

"The most precious moments, your most precious people are all here." She says and points. There was Axel laughing and eating sea salt ice cream with a younger version of Kairi.

"...AXEL!" Roxas calls out and the man looks up. He winks and vanishes.

"They're not real. They're replications." The girl says.

"Huh?"

"This place... only exists because.... You both have your precious ones who you want to protect. Sora. Roxas." She smiles and the world begins to crumble.

"WAIT! WHAT'S YOUR NAME?!" They both cry out.

"...... Sora!" She laughs and then Sora wakes up from his dream.

End Flashback.

"Who... is that?" Roxas and Sora murmer in unison.

Roxas remembers the fight he'd had before with a girl, who seemed so simliar to the one he'd just seen.

Flashback

Roxas looks around Twilight Town. He remembers his 'memories' and smiles.

"ROXAS!" A voice cries out. Roxas turns around. A small figure in an Organization XIII jacket stares at him, in disbelief.

"............" Roxas just stares back. The girl wasn't familiar, but how did she get the cloak?

"You're back! I was so worried! I thought... I thought that I'd killed you!" She says in relief. She removes the jacket's hood and a small girl with short black hair smiles gratefully at him.

"I was so worried!" The girl says again, almost in tears from joy. She sighs in relief and takes a step forward towards Roxas. He steps back. She looks at him confused.

"Roxas? Are you alright?" She asks, concern in her eyes.

"Who are you?" Roxas asks bluntly.

"HUH?!" the girl looks at him in shock.

"And how do you know my name?" Roxas continues. He scowls and removes his hood. He summons his Dual Keyblades, Oathkeeper and Oblivion. Remeants of his promise with Axel and Namine.

"How... How can you weild TWO?" She asks, fear clouding her eyes.

"That isn't an answer. WHO. ARE. YOU." Roxas takes a step forward with each word. The girl takes a step back with each one.

"Roxas! It's ME! XION! Don't you... remember?" Xion asks desperately.

"Should I?" Roxas asks bluntly.

"WHAT?! YES YOU SHOULD!" Xion yells.

"Look, I'm not going back!" Roxas slams his Keyblades in her chest and sends her flying.

"UGH!" She slams into the Clock Tower base.

"I won't return to the Organization. I have to... find him. My friend." Roxas says.

"Axel." Xion says, not a question. She gets up and summons her Kingdom Key.

"What? ... How-?" Roxas tries to say but Xion rushes forward and slams her Keyblade into Roxas's and sends him flying.

"I'm your friend Roxas! It's ME! XION!" Xion tries again but Roxas gets up and runs toward Xion, Oathkeeper at the ready. She braces herself for the impact but he skids around her and slams Oblivion into the small of her back.

"AAAGH!" Xion collapses from the pain. The Kingdom Key goes clattering across the paved stone tile floor of the Station. Roxas smiles smugly. He walks over to the fallen Keyblade.

"Apparently you don't know me too well. I'll always win." Roxas picks it up and tests it. He laughs and drops it back to the floot several feet from Xion's legs.

"...Damn you Roxas. DAMN YOU!" Xion snarls, still in too much pain to move.

"I told you; I'm not coming back. Once a traitor, ALWAYS a traitor." Roxas kicks the golden Key to Xion. She stares at it for a momet, complimating her situation.

"...Traitor? Hm." Xion starts to laugh.

"What's so funny?!" Roxas demands, angrily.

"...Nothing... But do you remember just WHY you left the Organization??" Xion laughs again, a high pure note shattering the silence around them.

"Yeah. I know why. I needed to find who I was." Roxas says. Xion smirks.

"Sure. Sure. But... Remember: My heart's a battleground."

"Huh? What are you talki-" Roxas clutches at his heart and screams in agony as a blinding flash of pain spreads through his chest.

"Angels in flight  
There's a new land,  
In you and I." Xion recites smugly and stands up. She laughs as Roxas begins to remember... Remember the one he'd forgotten. His precious friend.

*Flashback*

"Where did I think I could go? What a joke." Roxas says bitterly as he sits on the Clock Tower. He buries his head in his arms, completely in dispair. A hooded figure enters and sits next to him.

"****!" They hand him an ice cream bar. Roxas smiles softly and accepts it.

"Thank you." They sit quietly and watch the sunset, just one last time.

"Roxas...I'm out of time." the figure says and they stand up. They remove the hood. Roxas's eyes widen and he stares shocked at the face of the hooded figure.

"Even if I'm not ready...I have to make this choice. You have poured so many memories into me...given me so much...that I feel like I'm about to overflow." They hold their arms tp the sun and tighten a fist close to their chest, where their heart would be. The figure turns to Roxas, a faint smile on their face.

"Look at me, Roxas. Who do you see? If you see somebody else's face...a boy's face...then that means I'm almost ready. This puppet will have to play her part. Roxas... This is him. It's Sora." They say and keep that wistful face on their face.

Roxas is completely speechless. The figure walks off into the air, remaining suspended.  
Roxas reaches for them but they're out of reach. They put their hood back on and turns to face him. The face he can see, not theirs, but someone else's is contorted in anger.

"You're next, Roxas. I have to make you a part of me, too." The figure says bitterly. They hold out a hand and dark tendrils swirl and move around them, concealing the once familiar features from view.

"Don't you see? This is why I was created." They say, completely resigned to their fate.

***********

"Who are you...again? It's weird. I feel like I'm forgetting something really important." Roxas says as he stares at the girl who looks ready to collapse. His best friend... But who was she?

"You'll be...better off now...Roxas." The figure, her hood removed, says with no regret in her voice. She falls over, and Roxas catches her in his arms. She starts to splinter, and small glowing shards of memory float out of her body.

"Am I...the one who did this to you?" Roxas asks.

"No... It was my choice...to go away now. Better that, than to do nothing...and let Xemnas have his way. I belong with Sora. And now, I am going back...to be with him. Roxas..."She places her hand on his. He can only stare on in confusion.

"I need you...to do me a favor. All those hearts that I've captured... Kingdom Hearts... Set them free." The girl asks, her voice now filled with the regret she had for the task she was giving him.

"Kingdom Hearts... Free them?" Roxas repeats, unsure. The figure's legs start to become crystalline. Roxas gasps in fear for his friend. He touches the crystalline ice and looks back toward their face.

"It's too late...for me to undo my mistakes. But you can't let Xemnas... have Kingdom Hearts. You can't. Good-bye, Roxas. See you again. I'm glad... I got to meet you. Oh...and of course, Axel, too. You're both my best friends. " They smile gently at him and places a hand on Roxas's cheek.

"Never forget. That's the truth."

Roxas continues to hold the still figure as even their eyes close. They drop their hand, but he catches it, scattering more memories in a flurry of light.

"No! ****... Who else will I have ice cream with?" Roxas pleads. The crystal covers the figure's entire body. They're bathed in warm glowing light until all that remains is a familiar seashell. Roxas touches it and remembers her smiling face as they sat on the clock tower together.

"Xion." Roxas murmers, in grief as the last of his memories of her fade away. A single tear falls from his cheek as even the last memory of her gentle smile begins to vanish.

"STOP IT!!!" Roxas screams. Xion looks on at her friend. She's unable to do anything to help and her dispair shows clearly on her face. Roxas clutches at his head as more memories envelop him.

Flashback

"Wait!"

Roxas chases the impostor into the south alcove. The figure turns around and takes off their hood,revealing a young girl with solemn blue eyes.

"****..." He walks up to her.

"Where have you been? Axel and I have been looking all over for you.

"You have? Sorry." the girl says.

" Let's go home. If you come back voluntarily, Saïx will let all this drop. He has to." Roxas says, sure in his plan. The figure just stares uneasily at him.

Axel stands with his arms folded on a ledge around the corner, listening to their conversation.

"I don't care what he said to you. I'll be there. Me and Axel will make sure--" Roxas starts to say.

The figure takes a step back as he holds out a hand.

"I really can't." She says again.

"Why not? Come on... " Roxas asks, concerned for his friend. He tries to grab her, she backs further away. She looks down and tries to run.

"Wait!" Roxas says, grabbing her arm.

She stops...and summons her Keyblade, pointing it straight at him. He lets go of her arm. A chakram flies in, but she blocks it and it shoots into the ground, lighting on fire and disappearing.

"Well, hello there...****." Axel emerges from the shadows, with a serious expression on his face. His emerald eyes only focusing on his target.

"Axel?" Roxas asks and the figure lunges for him.

"No, wait!" Roxas pleads.

The girl takes a strike at Axel, who summons his chakrams in a swirl of fire. Roxas stands helpless as the two exchange blows. She blocks an attack and the chakrams fly back to Axel. The girl runs for him again.

"Stop!" Roxas shouts. The girl hesitates, looking over at Roxas, before getting a smack from behind that knocks her unconscious. She falls forward, but Axel grabs her, and her Keyblade falls to the ground with a metal clang, vanishing.

"****!" Roxas yells.

End Flashback

"Heh. I can't believe that the past is still trying to catch up to you." Xion smirks and laughs.

".... What... Was .." Roxas says weakly and then clutches his head again as a fresh wave of pain spreads through his chest.

"You know, I knew that maybe you'd forget me. But... I didn't know it hurt so much." She says and removes a pouch from his pocket.

"...'Never forget.' " Roxas murmers.

"That's right. Never forget." Xion laughs and gives him a motherly kiss on the forehead. She vanishes into a portal.

"Sora... Help me...." Roxas blacks out, eagerly giving one darkness for another.

End flashback

"Who are you?" The boys gasp.

"Me. just me." A faint whisper says.


	7. Haru's Memory

**AGAIN ANOTHER LONG ONE.**

**And yes, there ARE flashbacks but not as confusing as last chapters.**

**Disclaimers: KH is not mine, Disney isn't either, but the idea as far as I know IS.**

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x xxxx x x x x x xx**

Destiny Islands

"Why don't we go see King Mickey?" Kairi suggests.

"..Huh?" the three boys look at her questioningly.

"Think about it! He might know why Roxas came out of Sora and just who that girl is!" Kairi points out.

"...She's got a point. But do you guys even have a way to GET to Disney Castle?" Roxas asks.

"...Well... No." Sora says, slightly embarrassed.

"If we did, would we be on the Islands all the time? We didn't come home by Gummy Ship." Riku explains.

"....Then I'll open a Corridor." Roxas snaps his fingers and a black portal appears just beyond his feet. He takes a step forward.

"Uhh.... Roxas? You sure we can go through that thing?" Sora asks.

"Of course! I made it, so I'm sure it'll be fine." Roxas steps through, completely unafraid. The other three take his example and go through it.

Disney Castle

"...... Shh, I can hear someone." They all pause as they hear The King's muffled voice.

"...There's someone at the door." They hear and then the door slams open and the group falls in. They see four figures at the front of the room. Two were Donald and Goofy, Sora's companions from his previous adventures.

"Hiya guys! Me and Haru were just havin' a little chat!" King Mickey, king of Disney Castle, says.

"YOU!" Riku yells. His replica, now known as Haru, just raises an eyebrow and yawns.

"Hey there, Real Thing. Mind if I finish my talk with his Majesty before you start fighting?" He asks, a bored expression on his face.

"Grrr...." Riku summons his Way To Dawn Keyblade but Haru's already a step ahead and he takes out his Soul Eater blade.

"Boys! Stop fightin' alright? Haru was just explaining how he came back to me!" King Mickey says nervously.

"Huh? You two met before?" Sora asks.

"Well, kinda! We met in Twilight Town a few weeks ago!" King Mickey says. His large mouse ears tremble a little as the force of the darkness surrounding both Riku and Haru clash together.

"......." Haru puts down his sword and sits back down on the little chair that had been brought to him.

"Why don't cha tell them what happened?" The King suggests and Donald nods.

"Aww... Don't cha think Sora and the others should take a chair?" Goofy asks.

"........." They all just sit on the floor and wait for Haru to talk.

"...Where should I start, your Majesty?" Haru asks.

"Why not the beginning?" Queen Minnie says.

"Yes. Well..... A few months ago.... Me and a girl called Xion reappeared even though both of us had been destroyed by Keywielders." Haru looks pointedly at Riku.

"....... Roxas and Riku. And through Roxas, me." Sora says. Haru looks at him surprised, but nods.

"Exactly. And..... Then like I said, we reappeared. In a strange town... I think it's called Twilight Town. We woke up in the Manor. We had no idea who we were, who the other person was, and our memories had been shattered." Haru says. He holds something up and the group leans in to watch the odd glowing orb.

Flashback

"......" The two figures look around. Neither speak. They have no identity, no names, no face to place to any memories.

"........... A bell....." One murmurs, both listening to the toll of a giant bell somewhere in the distance. The first figure, the one who spoke, removes their hood. A girl with short black hair looks around again, at the white room where both teens had awaken in.

"....... Do you know where we are?" The second kid asks, his silver hair messed up from lying on the bed for so long.

"....No.... But .... it's familiar." The girl says.

"Good morning you two." A third voice says.

"Huh? Who're you?" The boy asks.

"My name is Ansem. Ansem the Wise. However, I grew tired of unnamed people duplicating my name, so I prefer DiZ." the man says.

"....DiZ? I know that... name.." The girl says.

"Yes Xion, you do. Do you remember anything?" DiZ asks.

"No. Nothing." She says.

"..... I can give you both purpose." DiZ says.

"...Purpose? What's that supposed to mean?" The boy asks. His blue eyes glare at 'DiZ' in suspicion.

"... A reason to keep fighting. Do you remember Castle Oblivion, my friend?"

"..Castle... Oblivion..." The boy's blue eyes widen as he begins to remember something.... Or rather someone.

"You are the Riku Replica, one of several dozen such replications. Xion, you are the 14th member of a group called Organization XIII." DiZ explains.

"Nnn!" the girl gasps as she recognizes the name.

"Organization XIII.... The ones at the Castle." the boy says.

"Correct." DiZ nods, obviously pleased at their progress.

"...... What happened to them? Axel... and Roxas?" The girl asks.

"Hmm? The entire Organization has been wiped out." DiZ says.

"WHAT?! NO!" she says and her eyes cloud in grief as somewhere in her heart, something screams out at this statement.

"Pardon me. I forgot. I should say, HAD been wiped out. They will soon return, thanks to you two." DiZ says.

"Us? Why us?" The boy questions.

"...... From deep within you, within your hearts, you've kept the memory of the members of that Organization alive. As you two continue to grow and flourish, the Organization will be gathering its strength to attack once more." DiZ says.

"I don't have a heart. I'm a Nobody." The girl says.

"Don't be so hard on yourself." The boy tells her.

"With a capital N. It's a name, for those who lack Hearts but have retained their Souls." DiZ explains.

"Souls?" They both ask.

"Yes. You both know what Heartless are, correct?" DiZ asks.

"Yes... What he fights. With the Keyblade." The girl says.

".............Those shadows, the ones around his heart." The boy says.

"The creatures known as Heartless are created when a person who is 'whole' loses their heart. In some special occasions, a by product is also created when the person has an exceptionally strong heart. This creature has no heart, but retains the 'whole' person's Soul. They are known as Nobodies."

"..... Is the Organization made of these... Nobodies?" The boy asks.

"Yes. You understood." DiZ says pleased.

"...... Then.... What are we?" The girl asks.

"You both are special, Replicas. They COULD technically be considered a special type of Nobody. You once did not have hearts, exactly like a Nobody." DiZ tells them.

"Special is just another word for different. But... Please continue." The girl says.

"Very well, Xion. When a Nobody dies, or 'fades', they will not return. There is nothing left of them, but there are special cases in which if a willing Nobody returns to their Other, they can maintain the memory of other Nobodies inside their hearts."

".....What?" They both look at him confused.

"Let me give you an example. Xion, you faded into the XIIIth member, Roxas. Am I correct?"

"...Yes... We fought... because you told me that I had to complete that boy." The girl says, furrowing her brow in concentration.

"Then you would have survived inside Roxas, as a broken memory."

"....Memory?"

"Even if he forgot, you would still be alive inside him. When Roxas rejoined Sora, you also did, and completed him. You, Xion, could be considered to be Sora's Heart." DiZ says.

"....Sora's... Heart...." The girl repeats, an expression of confusion plain on her face.

"Riku Replica, when the true Riku defeated you, you also went into his heart. Through you, the members at Castle Oblivion have survived."

"What? I don't... understand." The boy says.

"As each of you possess memories of each Organization member, you both are responsible for their return. However, the more intimate memories you have, the harder it will be for them to remember you." DiZ says.

End Flashback

"in other words, Xion and me are the ones who brought the Organization back." Haru finishes and tucks the Memory Crystal away in a pouch.

"...........That girl.... is Sora's Heart?" Kairi asks.

"....Yes, she is a vital part of Sora. I don't understand exactly how, but... This is all I can tell you. Even by just coming here, I'm betraying DiZ. I have to go." Haru holds out the pouch to Sora. Sora accepts it and Haru vanishes.

"...Namine made this." Roxas says.

"How can you tell?" Riku asks.

"...I just can you silver headed moron!" Roxas says.

" Uh... How do we know wha side is Haru on? Is he with the Organization?" Goofy asks.

"Don't be silly you big palooka! He's...." Donald pauses.

"We'll just have to trust him." Queen Minnie says.

"......... Just who else is going to come back?" Sora murmurs to himself.


	8. The Forced Awakenings

**Welcome back, and as always:**

**Disclaimers: this is not mine.**

**Oh yeah, if you guys read this, could you do me a favor and review?**

**Thanks a lot!**

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x X**

Castle That Never Was

DiZ is awaiting Xion's return. Haru had not come back from his last mission, one to see if Castle Oblivion had also been reformed.

"Haru...." He murmers when he suddenly hears an unfamiliar noise. It takes him a moment to realize it's the sound of shattering glass. A young woman's scream echoes through out the Castle.

"....LARXENE!" He realizes in horror and runs into the secret passage to the Room Of Awakening, where the Organization was sleeping.

"GET ME OUT! GET ME OUT!!! DAAAMMMIT!!!!" A young girl screams as she pounds on the inside of one of the glass cases. Electricity surrounds her, and shatters the glass.

"Number 12.... No, why now?" DiZ says, from the safety of the doorway.

"GRAAAAAH!!!! I'M GONNA KILL YOU SORA! I'M GONNA KILL YOU! NOBODY DEFEATS ME AND LIVES!!!" The girl howls in anger. In her rage, the electricity slams into the case besides her.

"No, Marluxia!" DiZ says as the man inside that case opens his eyes and his case shatters in a soft, wind chime like clatter. He vanishes and the large sycthe that had been in the case with him, vanished too.

"GAAAAAH!!! LET ME OUT YOU ASSHOLE!!!" Larxene, number 12 of Organizaion XIII, howls again and her electricity goes berserk once more.

"STOP IT YOU STUPID GIRL! CALM DOWN!" DiZ yells at her but the shock of the waves of electric charge is too much for him to pass.

"Oh!" A man in the next case opens his blue eyes and stares in astonishment before the case in which he was entombed in shatters and he also vanishes. A stream of silver and white playing cards litter the floor around the broken case. Larxene continues to pound on her own case, becoming panicked as she realizes there might not be a way out.

"...... Larxene! CALM DOWN!" DiZ yells again when the electricity subdues.

"GET ME OUT! DON'T STAND THERE! GET ME OOUT!!!!" She screams again, and in her panic, her electricity flares up again, slamming into the next case.

"Huh? Where am I?" The boy inside asks, before vanishing in a glowing bubble of clear blue water. The giant guitar like insturment inside the case splinters apart and falls to the ground in blue colored wooden splinters.

".... Three, she's awakened THREE." DiZ says in horror as he counts how many more destroyed cases there were. The electricity was not finished as it slams into the next case.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!" The girl screams one last time before her own power surrounds her and she vanishes in a crackle of thunder. A single dagger lies on the floor. DiZ surveys the room. Covered in blackened streaks, it was nothing that could not be repaired. The real problem was the four awakened Organization members. If one of the Organization forced their fellow members to awaken, there was no telling just how powerful they could be.

"...Ugh...." A soft moan comes from another case. DiZ freezes. A man opens his emerald like eyes and groans again.

"......... Are you awake?" DiZ asks softly.

"Yeah.... Where's Sora? And Roxas? And Kairi? Did they make it out okay?" The man asks, running his fingers through his flaming red hair.

"You are a little behind the times, my friend. They are all safe."

".... That's good. And Riku?" The man asks and the case around him shatters and he sits up.

"Safe and back on Destiny Islands."

"........ Where am I? And who the hell are you?" The man asks suspiciously.

"Pardon my manners. My name is DiZ. And yours is?" DiZ says.

"The name's .........." The man pauses, his face contorted in concentration as he tries to recall his name.

"...Do you not know your own name?" DiZ asks with concern.

" The name's Axel. Got it memorized?" Axel, number 8 of the Organization, had finally awakened. He opens his eyes and a gleam of remembrance courses through his emerald green eyes. Axel smiles, and tries to remember those lost in his heart.

Who Am I? He wonders to himself.

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x X**

**Okay guys, I'm clearing this up.**

**I AM NOT BEING SEXIST TOWARD LARXENE.**

**I am in fact a GIRL, so I'm not.**

**The only reason I made her panic in this is because think about it:**

**Electricity would jumpstart a battery, so it would force the ones hit with to AWAKEN faster, as energy has been restored faster. **

**Think about it like that.**


	9. Larxene The Savage Nymph

**okay guys, this is how it works in this fic.**

**When the organization member, Larxene in this case, is focused on instead of the main characters, the title is named after them.**

**Kay?**

**Disclaimers: Kingdom Hearts, whether it be KH1, KH2, Re:CoM, CoM, or 358/2 Days, is not mine.**

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x xx x xx X**

????

"I can't believe... I'm here again." She murmurs to herself.

"Number 12." A man calls.

"In a sec." Larxene, Number 12 of the Organization, calls back. She's lost in memories, some of them very painful. She shudders as she recalls the feeling of fading, of her fear.

Flashback

"No... No! I refuse to lose to such a bunch of losers!" Larxene yells. She begins to fade away.

"I think I'm...I'm fading?! No, this isn't...the way I... I won't... ALLOW..." Larxene feels the the heat of the black tendrils of darkness on her skin. She feels fear. She knows she shouldn't but she does.

I don't want to die... It wasn't supposed to happen like this!! She closes her eyes just a ribbon of light connects her, to them, to the ones that didn't matter to her, not in the least. Her skin burns as the darkness finally overwhelms her.

end Flashback

"I'll never fade again. NEVER." She vows. Her electricity sparks as her rage toward the one who destroyed skyrockets.

"Sora...." She snarls viciously under her breath. She grins and then vanishes in a storm of sparks.

Disney Castle

"I know... where they are." Sora says.

"What? What do you mean?" Riku asks.

"In the place... where I destroyed them. Castle Oblivion." Sora says and stands up.

"What?! You're not supposed to remember tha-" Riku stops when he sees Sora's pained expression.

"Sora...?" Roxas puts a hand on Sora's shoulder. Sora's eyes clear and he grins back at them.

"What are we waiting for! Your majesty, can we borrow a ship?" Sora asks King Mickey.

"Alright guys, but take Donald and Goody with ya!" Mickey says.

"Sure! Let's go!" Sora cheers, his serious expression gone.

Unknown Destination

_hurry... Sora, please _hurry.

Xion cries out in pain as a knife enters her flesh.

"That all you got, you little fake?" Larxene taunts.

"No. TAKE THIS! ARS ARCANUM!" Xion screams. Her Keyblade flashes, a remnant of Sora's own.

"NOW YOU'RE JUST PISSIN' ME OFF!" Larxene yells, as the Keyblade whizes past her head and lands clattering on the tiles.

No... Please, Sora. I'm begging you, HELP ME! Xion closes her eyes, ready to fade once more.

"Not on my watch." A familiar voice says.

"UGH! You're that-" Larxene starts to say when a Keyblade slams against her chest and sends her flying toward the opposite wall.

"You came...." Xion says, with tears in her eyes.

"I did promise, Xion." The boy says with a faint smile.

"Are you really him? Or.... That other one?" Xion asks. The boy smiles and summons back his black Keyblade.

"I'm all three of you." Roxas says with a smile. His twin Keyblades, Oblivion and Oahtkeeper shine in the room's glowing light.

"SORA!!" A voice screams from far below. The boy turns, his body shifting back to its normal appearance.

"Xion, inside me, there's all three of us. Namine... Can probably fix me. So you can have Roxas back." Sora says, his normally cheerful blue eyes dark and serious.

"All...three of us?" Xion repeats.

"Larxene. I'm giving you a gift. I'm not a Nobody, so you should be lucky. I'm giving you your life." Sora says to the immobile figure.

"I... WILL NEVER ACCEPT PITY." Larxene snarls, her face streaked with blood.

"Maybe not. Think of it.... as a final present, from Xion. I'm the one... who brought you back." The boy says as his features vanish and get replaced by those of a girl with cropped black hair and smiling blue eyes. The true Xion looks on in shock as Sora changes back into himself. He smiles at her.

"Never forget right? I never have. And.. I promise, no matter what anyone says, I'll be there." He says, his words a ghost of the words once said by someone so close to her.

"Sor...Sora...." Xion gasps out before collapsing. Sora waves his hand over her body and she vanishes in a cloud of mist.

"Never. I won't let their happiness be destroyed." Sora vows. Larxene snarls a curse under her breath, and vanishes in a black portal.

"Sora!" Roxas, the true Roxas, gasps as he runs up the stairs to where Sora had run off to.

"Hey. Coast is clear." Sora grins.

"Why'd you jump off like that?" Riku says angrily and hits his friend lightly on the head.

"Sorry. I thought I heard someone." Sora lies.

"And? Any Organization members?" Kairi asks.

"Nope. Not a one." he says, with the hint of a sly smile on his face.

"Gawsh! Maybe those Organization XIII fellows just left!" Goofy suggests.

"That's it! That must be it!" Sora says, still smiling his secretive smile.

Xion.... Please. Bring Namine, I can't handle being all three. I don't want his memories.

"Let's go." Sora suggests. They agree and leave. Behind them, Sora picks up a single yellow dagger. He puts it in his pocket and leaves. A black storm appears behind him, an injured figure falls out.

"S..Sora... You're dead... next time. You hear me...?" Larxene snarls, her voice echoing in the empty room.


	10. A Memory's Ghost

**This is STILL not Axel's special chapter.**

**Disclaimers: KH whether one, two, CoM, Re:CoM, or 358/2 Days, is not mine.**

**man, last chapter was confusing right? What side is Sora on??? **

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x xx x x x x xx xx x x x X**

Castle That Never Was

"How much does he know?" DiZ asks.

"He seems to know almost everything. He knew that I was the one who brought back the Organization." Xion says. Upon her awakening inside the Castle, she had told DiZ everything on what happened between Larxene and Sora.

"I know who has warned the Keyblade Master, Haru has loyalty to him, as a friend of his." DiZ says.

"HARU?! But why?" Xion asks, surprised.

"He wishes to remain alive. It is his belief that the moment the Organization is complete, both Replicas shall be destroyed. Haru may want to make a bargain with Sora to keep him in his current form." DiZ says.

"Haru.... is a traitor?" Xion shakes her head furiously, unwilling to accept it.

"Xion, you and he are the same. You both made deals that would save someone you care about."

"HARU ONLY CARES ABOUT HIMSELF! I'M NOTHING LIKE HIM!!!!" Xion snarls. DiZ laughs.

"What's so funny?!" Xion demands, her face contorted in anger.

"Xion, he wishes to remain alive because, as long he remains in his current state, he can bring back anyone he chooses. This would include you." DiZ laughs again.

"M-Me? Why would he... He knows I want to go back to Sora."

"He thinks if you can't see the truth, that he can open your eyes to reality. He doesn't want you to remain blind." DiZ says.

"......Blind?"

Gummy Ship

"Sora, what exactly did you see?" Roxas asks.

"Nothing much. A bunch of vases and stairs. Castle Oblivion isn't that interesting." Sora comments and he opens a small bag of candy. He starts nibbling half heartedly on a sliver of chocolate.

"How did you remember, Sora?" Riku asks.

"Mmph?"

"You weren't supposed to remember that Castle! SO HOW DID YOU REMEMBER?!" Riku snarls.

"..................... Because........ They remembered." Sora murmurs to himself.

"What?" Kairi asks. They hadn't heard what he said.

"I said I didn't know! Maybe because Namine's back, so my memories are getting unscrambled." Sora says loudly with a grin.

"Oh, that makes sense!" Goofy says proudly.

"Of course that's it! After all, Sora wouldn't know anythin' about the Organization if it wasn't for us!" Donald says proudly.

"Thanks guys!" Sora laughs.

"Hang on. There's something fishy going on...." Jiminy Cricket says to Riku.

"You feel it too? Sora's holding something back." Riku says to the tiny creature.

"Yup, he's not sayin' something." Jiminy says.

".......But what?" Riku says as he observes his friend. On the outside he looked as cheerful and happy go lucky as usual, but was there .... a hint of dispair in those familiar blue eyes? Riku couldn't tell.

"Riku!" Kairi yells.

"Huh?" Riku turns to Kairi who's turning pale.

"........... Sora?!" Roxas grabs his Other.

"A-A-Axel.... he's b-back... I c-can fee-feel it...." Sora stammered, his eyes going dark.

"SORA!" Riku leaps off his chair and shakes his friend, trying to snap him out of it.

"Axel.... C-Can you r-remember m-me?" Sora stutters to the air and closes his eyes as he seems to hear a response.

"Th-Thank you... I'll t-tell them..... T-Take care... of-of that girl for m-me..." Sora says before he grows limp.

"SORA! WAKE UP! NOW!!" Everyone screams at him, but Sora is long gone.... Floating in stolen memories.

Castle That Never Was

".........Axel.... C-Can you r-remember m-me?" A voice asks.

"....Sora?" The man asks, in his room. He had been isolated, to keep his already fragile heart from shattering. Xion had been lied to, saying that he had not been awakened yet. He didn't know who he was, but somehow he knew this Sora person.

"Yeah, I'm Sora."

"You're.... his friend right? The one he left to find." The man asks.

"Yes."

"Can you tell him I'm okay? And that I'm almost ready to remember. Sora, thanks for that. For what you did for him." The man smiles, his green eyes gleaming in the near darkness of his room.

"Th-Thank you... I'll t-tell them..... T-Take care... of-of that girl for m-me..." The voice fades.

"...Damn. I was getting lonely..... Heh. I promised a lot of things, and I can't keep any of 'em." Axel laughs, his deep chuckle echoing throughout the empty room, empty save for a single bed and a window. A single beam of moonlight shatters the darkness and Axel drinks it in, not wanting to miss a drop.

"Roxas.... who are you? And... Sora..... He's you isn't he? Then why..... can I remember him and not you?" Axel asks the empty air. He hears the ghost of a memory.

" 'Eat your ice cream' huh? " Axel laughs again and falls back asleep, slipping into shattered memories, of his friends who he couldn't remember.


	11. A Familiar Gift

**DAMMIT SORA! STOP MAKING ME MAKE YOU SO EMO AND DARK!!!!**

**THAT'S ROXAS'S JOB!!! *pants from screaming***

**Disclaimer: KH is not mine.**

**Okay, clearing this up now. It was my first chain in 358/2 Days, so I'm making it special, since it's special to ME.**

**X x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x X**

Clock Tower

"......." Xion is sitting alone, trying to regain those lost to her.

She remembers.....

That boy's voice.

" ' I don't care what Saix says; I'll be there. ' " Xion says, those words that her friend said so long ago.

"Roxas... You lied to me! You're not here!! YOU'RE WITH HIM! WITH SORA!" Xion yells, her misery overwhelming.

"YOU LIED! YOU'RE NOT MY FRIEND! I THOUGHT EVERYTHING WOULD BE OKAY, THAT WE WOULD BE TOGETHER WITH AXEL! BUT YOU JUST KEEP ON RUNNING! I WANT US BACK! I WANT US TO BE FRIENDS!!!" Xion screams her pain to the heavens, tears streaming down her cheeks, each one a liquid diamond.

"Hey." A soft voice says behind her.

"What do you want?! I don't want to talk to you! This is all YOUR fault! EVERYTHING!" Xion accuses him.

"You're right. It is. I want to make it right." The figure holds out something.

"That's..." Xion pauses, looking at what was in his hand.

"Sea salt ice cream. The icing on the cake, that little something extra." They smile and hand it to her.

"It's not the same. I don't taste the sweetness anymore.... Just the salt." Xion says bitterly but she takes it anyway. She tears into the corner and cries harder at the familiar taste; what it means to her, to them. Her entire body shakes from sobbing.

"............I want.... You three to be happy. I know what you said to DiZ."

"So? I just want him to be happy. Even if he forgets me, I'll-"

"Still remember. I know how THAT turned out." The figure interrupts and takes a bite out of their own ice cream.

"................. I hate you." Xion snarls.

"I hate me too. I don't like what I've been doing." The figure's legs dangle loosely on the ledge of the Clock Tower.

"Then give him back to me." Xion says, her blue eyes narrowed in anger.

"Fine."

"What? That easy..?" Xion asks.

"Nope. You have to defeat me. But first.... This is yours." They hold out a charm. A diamond like charm, with a dangling silver chain.

"......True Light's Flight. It's a Keychain me and Roxas used. So?" Xion grabs it and stuffs it angrily into her pocket.

"Heh.... You have no idea." They laugh.

"What?" Xion asks, confused.

"There's three more of these." The figure says.

"What? So? There's lots of charms. YOU should know that." Xion says sarcastically.

"Yup, but these are special. Each one has a special promise." The figure smiles again, and takes a bite out of the blue ice cream that had been trickling down his arm.

"Promise? That sounds familiar." Xion says bitterly. She stares at the keychain, remembering when Roxas first handed it to her.

**Flashback**

"XIV!" Roxas runs up to her, his face flushed from running.

"What is it?" Xion asks.

"THERE'S SOMETHING I HAVE TO SHOW YOU!" Roxas gasps out, excitement clear on his face.

"What is it?" She laughs. Roxas grabs her arm and leads her to a quiet corner of the Castle.

"I found this!" Roxas pulls out a bundle wrapped in paper, from the looks of it, torn out of a book.

".....A ..Keychain?" Xion asks and holds it up. It was beautiful. She knew what the word meant, but never thought she could feel it.

"Look!" Roxas took it back gently and summons his Keyblade.

"What are you-?"

"Shh." He attaches the keychain and the Keyblade flashes and turns into a silvery blade that was a completely different design.

"WHOA!" Xion yelps in surprise.

"Cool right?! I figure, there must be MORE of these! And that they power Keyblades up! Here, this one's for you." He removes the charm and gives it to her.

"Thank you. It's.... True Light's Flight." Xion names it.

"Really? I thought the same thing!" Roxas grins and they both laugh as Xion slips it into her pocket.

**End Flashback**

"See?" The boy smiles.

"Why are you doing this, Sora?" Xion asks.

"Cause you're my daughter. That's why." Sora laughs again and vanishes. The ice cream he had been eating clatters to the ground, before slipping off the Tower completely.

"...............Roxas...." Xion murmurs softly as she watches the steam of fading sunlight through the charm. She smiles vaguely at it before remembering Sora's words.

"...Daughter?" Xion asks herself, confused.


	12. Full Of Suprises

**Kingdom Hearts is not mine, and this is just a VERY VERY short chapter.**

**to build up suspence.**

**dammit, Sora's character is confusing the hell out of me....**

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x X**

Gummy Ship

"SORA!" Sora's eyes are still closed since he had that strange attack.

"SORA! WAKE UP NOW." Riku snarls and then he slaps his friend hard across the face.

"WHA?!" Sora sits up immediately and glares at his friend.

"He's okay!" Goofy and Donald say in unison.

"You didn't have to hit me so hard, Riku!!!" Sora says angrily. then his eyes go dull again and he falls back asleep.

".....Okay, I think we should just leave him to rest." Roxas says. He helps Riku carry Sora to a comfortable bed and they leave him to sleep.

Castle That Never Was

"...You're back." Axel comments.

"Yup. I couldn't stay away. How's the heart?" The boy asks. His features were hidden by a deep hood.

"Hurts. She said that she could fix it, but she can't." Axel says.

"Namine?"

"Uh huh. She said I'm here to protect myself." Axel motions around the room.

"oooh, so THAT'S why." He says and hands Axel an ice cream.

"This is the stuff you brought before, right? Sea salt ice cream?" Axel takes a bite out of the corner.

"Got it memorized?" The boy laughs.

"That's MY line." Axel chuckles.

"Well, how much do you remember?" He asks.

"Not much. That Namine girl's nice though. She promised to bring me out as soon as she could." Axel says and balances the finished ice cream stick on his nose.

"You want to leave?"

"Yeah....... I feel....." Axel pauses, not sure.

"Lonely. What you're feeling is loneliness."

"...Loneliness.... I miss them." Axel says and then surprised, he touches his eyes. A small drop of water forms and he catches it and stares at it in amazement.

"You want to leave?" The boy asks again.

"I can't."

"Who's keeping you back?" The boy laughs and snaps his fingers. The door, which had been locked, slams open with a bang.

".............thanks."

"No problem. Just..... keep this with you. You gave me this, to protect Roxas." The boy throws a small circular charm to the man and vanishes.

"Dammit, that Sora kid sure is full of surprises." Axel comments as he buries the Bond Of Flame Keychain deep in his pocket.


	13. Marluxia The Graceful Assassin

**Kingdom Hearts is not mine, i am only using it for the story!**

**And apparently I keep making people sad... and cry....**

**I'm sorry! I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TURN SORA BACK INTO THE CHEERFUL IDIOT WE ALL KNOW!!!!**

**X x x xx xx x x x xx x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x X**

__

**Sora!**

"...........Namine?" Sora murmurs.

__

**You have to remember! What exactly did you give up?**

"........... His memories. Axel's. They turned into that Keychain, the one he gave me to protect Roxas." Sora tells her weakly.

__

**What else?**

"...Xion.... She got some back too."

__

**Which ones?!**

" I don't... remember." Sora mutters.

__

**TELL ME! YOU HAVE TO! YOUR HEART-**

"..... Namine, you're fading off..... " Sora says as he starts to be unable to hear the voice anymore.

__

**SORA.... Sora... S..or..a....**

"............. It's better. Like this. I destroyed their happiness....." Sora says as he falls back asleep, a single tear streaming down his face.

Castle Oblivion

"....." Marluxia, number 11 of the Organization, scans the area. Mostly destroyed. With large craters from intense battles.

"What's the status?" Larxene asks.

"........ They are not awake." Marluxia says.

"I know _THAT_, I mean the brat who brought us back. She packs a wicked punch." Larxene complains as she rubs her shoulder.

"And it does not help that you were attacked by the Keyblade Master himself." Marluxia comments.

"SHUT UP!" Larxene snarls and electricity sparks in the air surrounding her.

"Hmph. Remember why we are here, 12." he says seriously and Larxene immediately shuts up.

"10's late!" A nervous voice says as Demyx returns from his recon mission.

"I noticed. I sent him on a very special mission, Demyx." Marluxia explains.

"What kind of mission?" Demyx asks, immediately curious.

"To find out more on the child who resurrected us. I want to know more about our fourteenth member."

"Oh, that all? Geez! Here I was bein' jealous and all, when he's just baby-" Larxene begins to snicker when Marluxia interrupts.

"Silence Larxene! You have no idea the importance of that girl!" Marluxia retorts angrily.

"What's so special 'bout her? I mean, she's just the last member, right?" Demyx asks, slightly confused. His clear blue eyes gleam as they carefully absorb the surroundings around them.

"She is Sora's precious child." Marluxia says smugly.

"Child? As in.... his kid?" Larxene asks confused.

"She was born of both the Princess of Heart, and of the Keyblade's Master. She has untold power inside her."

"Uh.... I'm not following." Demyx says.

"When Sora lost his Heart, what was created?" Marluxia asks simply.

"Duh, Roxas!" Demyx says proudly.

"...... XIII, right?" Larxene says suspiciously.

"Yes, and Namine."

"That's not the only thing, right?" Larxene questions. Marluxia shakes his head and his lightly colored pink hair gets out of his face.

"Xion was born at the same time."

"_HUH?!_ But I thou-" Demyx starts to say.

"She was not created by our former number IV." Marluxia says.

"Wha?.... Then what the fuck is she?!" Larxene snarls.

"Sora's and Kairi's child. Born of their .... hmph, LOVE for each other." Marluxia scoffs.

"HUH?!"

"When Sora removed his own Heart, he did so with the full intention of saving his heart's light. Kairi." Marluxia starts to explain.

"Roxas and Namine were born, and they're Nobodies." Larxene says, starting to connect pieces.

"Xion is Sora's SHADOW. Her untapped power, is the very power of the Keyblade itself!" Marluxia says excitedly.

"And if WE get it...." Larxene grins.

"We will be unstoppable." Marluxia finishes.

"But! We got Hearts, what else do we need?" Demyx asks, concern on his face.

"Demyx, you do not get it. Why stop there? We did not obtain Hearts on our own; they were a precious gift. I ,for one, WILL NOT let this be wasted." Marluxia laughs and he vanishes in a cloud of soft pink petals.

"........... Xion..... She's really something special, right?" Demyx asks Larxene.

"You don't get to think. You just keep playin' that little guitar thing of yours, and keep outta the way. Kay?" Larxene runs her finger gently across Demyx's cheek and laughs when he flinches.

"Y-Y-Yeah, okay, Larxene." Demyx says nervously.

"Good boy. Play nice now." Larxene pats his head and vanishes.

"..... I gotta.... do something. I mean, I don't wanna lose my Heart. I don't want those guys hurt either! They were some of the only nice people in the Ranks....." Demyx says to himself and he comes to a decision.

"I'LL DO IT!" He says and grins determiningly.


	14. Luxord The Gambler Of Fate

**Yeah, I figured out how to end this.**

**AND IT IS NOT PRETTY.**

**Disclaimers: Kingdom Hearts is in no way mine. Enjoy the fic.**

**X x x x x xx xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx X**

**Gummy ship**

"SORA!" Kairi calls out to the sleeping boy.

"Mmph?" Sora sits up and yawns.

"YOU JACKASS! YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED WE WERE?! YOU FAINTED! TWICE!" Riku snarls.

".. I'm sorry. I didn't exactly do it on purpose. Next time, I'll warn you!" Sora says saractically. Riku stares at him.

"WHAT?! WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!" Riku yells.

"Deaf too? I SAID I'll give you a heads up next time I'm gonna pass out!" Sora says angrily.

"DID SORA JUST TALK BACK?! TO RIKU?!" Roxas says in surprise.

"You know, I have every right to. He's a jerk." Sora sighs and leaps out of bed. Something gleams as it falls out of his pocket. In a flash, Sora snatches it off the bed and stuffs it back into his pocket.

"C'mon! Let's go fight some bad guys!" Sora calls out cheerfully as he walks out the door.

**Castle That Never Was**

"......" Luxord watches as his target, Xion, calmly reads something on a large computer.

"I know you're there." Xion calls out.

"It has been a while, since I've done recon. My apologies." Luxord says. He steps up behind her.

"No problem. Ready to give up? Or do you need a battle?" Xion asks, not taking her eyes off the screen.

"You need Lady Luck herself to challenge ME to a game, little one." Luxord chuckles.

"Oh really?" Xion summons her Kingdom Key.

"I'd rather we just skip the formalities, then." Luxord smiles as he readies his deck of cards.

"Did it hurt?" Xion asks as she drops her Keyblade right at Lxuord's feet.

"Hm? Did what hurt?" He asks, and makes his cards vanish.

"Fading."

"........ Yes. A great pain, nothingness. Flames..... and ice... clawing at your flesh." Luxord's eyes darken as he remembers.

"Why? Why were we created?" Xion asks.

"That is not a question for me, child. Ask Xemnas when, hm... IF he wakes up." Luxord chuckles again.

"Why wouldn't he?"

"Do you really think we're not thinking about it? Stay ahead of the game, Poppet."

"DO NOT CALL ME POPPET." Xion snarls.

"Hm. Such a temper. Wonder where you got THAT little trait? Fate is but a roll of the dice, I always say." Luxord says smugly.

"Don't talk in riddles. Why are you here?" Xion asks bluntly.

"Why, to watch over YOU, little Poppet! I must pay my gratitude to the one who broke the rules and brought me back to the playing field." Luxord says and smiles.

"..... You know, I really REALLY hated when you talked like that." Xion says angrily.

"Watch yourself." Luxord warns, his blue eyes gleaming.

"Huh?"

"You never know.... which side that Lady Luck will smile upon. Will you bring back your friends, or will you be destroyed once again?" Luxord chuckles again.

"LUXORD! WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!"

"Well, well, well! Our youngest one has finally grown. Let's see if the cards are in your favor, little one." Luxord grins and vanishes.

He reappears at Castle Oblivion.

"You were a fool." Marluxia comments.

"Hm, you saw that?" Luxord questions.

"Namine's powers have grown." Marluxia says as explaination.

"So you have captured the girl?" Luxord says, impressed.

"Riku Replica.... put up no fight." Marluxia grins as he remembers how easily he had been able to take Namine.

"Pity. The game is on then." Luxord's eyes gleam in excitement.


	15. Twilight's Scattered Memories

**Again, another short one.**

**For the drama and filling in loopholes.**

**Disclaimers: KH is not mine, and once again thanks for reading this story!**

**Xx xx x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx X**

_Castle That Never Was_

"DAMMIT! DAMMIT! I couldn't... protect her...." Haru gasps out, lying in a pool of dark crimson blood.

_Am I going to die again? ...... I'm.... sorry.... I couldn't help Xion... Or Namine....._

"Givin' up already? I thought you were stronger than that, Haru!" A teasing voice says.

"...Come to mock me?" Haru spits out bitterly.

"Nah. Here. Curaga." A flash of green light and Haru's wounds heal in a matter of seconds and his broken ribs mend together.

"Th-Thanks. Next time, I won't accept pity." Haru sits up defiantly.

"Whatever, I need to go back anyway."

"How can you travel like that? A Corridor or somethin'?" Haru asks.

"Nope! I use my heart!"

"Your... Heart?"

"See ya later, Haru! I want us to fight again soon!" The voice vanishes.

"...... He seriously pisses me off." Haru snarls as he reaches for his fallen backpack, and pops open an Elixir bottle and drinks gratefully.

_Gummy ship_

"Guys, I think we should go to Twilight Town!" Sora says to his friends.

"Huh? Why there?" Kairi asks.

"Well.... I just have a feeling we should!" Sora says cheerfully.

"AS IF! You want sea salt ice cream, don't you?!" Riku says, only pretending to be mad.

"Aaaaand? What's wrong with that?!" Roxas laughs.

"We gotta make sure that the Keyhole got locked up right!" Sora says.

"But Sora, didn't we already lock up that keyhole?" Goofy asks.

"Yeah! We did that one already!" Donald says slightly annoyed.

"Well, let's go for it! I'm with Sora on this." Roxas says.

"Thanks Roxas!" Sora grins.

"...Count me in too!" Kairi says.

"GRAAAH! Am I always the bad guy in this? FINE. We'll go to stupid Twilight Town." Riku sighs.

"HEY! Twilight Town ROCKS!" Roxas says with Sora a moment behind him. They laugh and set the ship's coordinates to Twilight Town.

_Twilight Town_

"Ugh.... Where-?" The man groans. He sits up and quietly listens as a huge bell tolls somewhere. He couldn't remember anything.

Who was he?

Where'd he come from?

Everything... was blank. He sighs, and then suddenly, he remembered something, something weird.

Flashback

"Your mind's made up?" the girl asks.

"Yeah. I just.... want my friends back." the man says.

"Axel....." the girl says sadly and she puts her hand on his.

".....I know that I don't remember you but-" He stops, interrupted by her placing a finger on his lips.

"It's okay. Go find them." She smiles and in the breeze, her long golden like hair sways.

"Yeah. Thanks, Namine." Axel smiles and then scoops her up in an awkard hug. She laughs softly and hugs him back.

"Please... Tell her to wait for me. Me and him. I'll forget this promise, but both of you; wait for us." Axel lets go and smiles at her.

"Yes. I'll hold you to that." Namine laughs.

"I'm sorry. Sorry that I won't be able to remember." Axel says and she slips a small envelope in his pocket.

"What's that about?" He asks.

"Just a reminder. Why don't you come back with me? I mean, I-"

"Can't give me the chance to fix this on my own. Thanks for everything, Namine." Axel waves his hand and a dark portal opens in front of him.

"No matter what; Come back to us." Namine calls out behind him as he steps through.

End Flashback

"N...Namine?" Axel asks himself, confused.


	16. A Friend's Return

still pretty short.

Kh is not mine.

X x x x x x x x xx x x xx X

Twilight Town

"Huh?" Roxas says as they look for the Keyhole.

"What?" Sora looks at where Roxas was looking.

"THAT'S-!" A figure in a long black cloak starts yelling.

"C'MON AXEL! You HAVE to come back!" He says, in a familiar voice.

"...Demyx?" Sora questions. The figure pulls the hood down, to reveal a young man with sandy blonde hair and dark blue eyes.

"I SAID.... I DON'T KNOW YOU!!!" Another voice howls and a burst of flames blasts from the alley in which they were talking.

"WHOA!" Demyx dodges the flames and another figure comes out, a big grin on his face.

"You really don't get it, do ya?" Axel, number eight of the Organization, demands.

"AXEL?!" Roxas cries out. Axel doesn't flinch.

"JUST COME BACK!" Demyx yells.

"No. I'm looking for someone. And I can't remember anymore." Axel says bitterly. Dark flames burn down his arms and two red disk like weapons appear in his hands. He idely twirls one, and flashes Demyx another grin.

"Let's see what's better: My flames, or your powers?" Axel laughs and the alley is soon covered in blackening flames.

"I'm a lot stronger than before, Axel!" Demyx says desperately. He summons a blue guitar like insturment, known as a sitar.

"C'mon Arpeggio.... Let's see if we can beat him! DANCE WATER DANCE!" Demyx cries out and he starts to frantically play his sitar.

"Huh?! I CAN'T-" Axel struggles against a strange force and his eyes widen in horror as he realizes he couldn't move an inch.

"You know something interesting? The human body is made up of over three fourths water. Guess what I control?" Demyx sings along with the tune he strumming.

"No... way." Axel chokes out when Demyx starts to strum faster.

"And ..... you know, there's water in your brain too. What would happen if I made it vibrate?" Demyx stops. Axel falls forward, gagging.

"AXEL!" Roxas runs forward and tries to help his friend up. Axel shoves away and swears violently under his breath as he tries to sit up on his own.

"BACK OFF." He snarls as he finally manages to stand up. He wobbles and falls back down, and Roxas catches him.

"DEMYX! How could you do this?!" Roxas yells at him.

"I... I didn't m-mean to.... It just... happened." Demyx says, completely confused.

"Yeah, half KILLIN' me is an ACCIDENT!" Axel growls. He grabs one of his fallen chakrams and hurls it toward Demyx. Demyx blocks it with his sitar. The chakram vanishes in a blast of flames.

"Come back, Axel, Roxas." Demyx pleads.

"Why should we?" Roxas demands.

"..... I need your help. Larxene... and Marluxia, they're nuts! They're trying to take over again, and... they got Namine." Demyx finishes.

"NAMINE!?" Roxas screams.

"......." Axel keeps quiet as he listens.

"Yeah, they captured her, and they nearly killed Riku Replica too."

"HARU." Sora corrects.

"Huh? Okay, then, Haru. And... they want her to.... well, I kinda left before they explained it to me. But! I know that we need your help! So how about it? Wanna come back to the Organization? That DiZ guy-"

"No thanks." Axel interrupts.

"Huh?" They all turn to him.

"I just want my friends back. And my memories. If that Namine kid knows me, then I'll find her. That's it. I don't know who the hell you guys are, but I know this: I DO NOT want to join the Organization. EVER." Axel stands up, a little stronger now.

"Axel, what do you mean? What do you mean, you don't know who we are? It's me. Roxas." Roxas pleads.

"....Never heard of you." Axel says bluntly. Roxas's eyes widen in shock.

"No... You're lying. You know me! I'm your best friend! Remember? We used to have sea salt ice cream here, after missions. Don't you remember?" Roxas begs, and grabs Axel's sleeve. Axel stares at him for a moment, before slapping Roxas across the face and sending him flying onto the ground.

"No. I don't know you." Axel says coldly before vanishing in a blast of flames.

"AXEL! AXEL!" Roxas yells, his cheek red from the hit. His body trembles as he struggles not to cry.

"He doesn't... remember?"


	17. Broken Links

**Yup, my head's screwy.**

**Enjoy folks, and thanks for reading.**

**Xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x X**

**Twilight Town**

"Roxas?" Sora helps him up.

"... That... wasn't him. Axel would never do that. EVER." Roxas says in complete shock.

"Roxas..." Sora smiles and gives him a playful punch on the shoulder.

"Whatever's wrong with him, we'll beat the crud out of him to make him normal. Kay?" Riku says, a little embarrassed.

"... Riku being nice. NOW I'm worried." Roxas says with a slight laugh. He was confused. Why had Axel pretended that he didn't know him? Why had he slapped Roxas? These questions, mixed in with feelings of betrayl, pain, and happiness at seeing his friend, formed a dark wave of confusion for him.

"Sorry for you, but that's Axel." A voice says from the shadows.

"WHOA!" Riku flinches as Haru steps from the shadows and walks up to them.

"Haru." Sora says simply.

"Keyblade Master." Haru says with a nod to him.

"How was that Axel?" Roxas demands.

"He can't remember, but someone's trying to help him. Ain't that right.... Sora." Haru says with an acusing glare.

"Sora?" Everyone turns to him, surprised. Sora laughs.

"Wow, someone's been doing their homework!" Sora says and grins.

"Sora?! YOU?! You're with the-" Riku pauses.

"... No. I'll never join the Organization. At least, I hope not. I'm on HER side. Not theirs." Sora says and puts his arms behind his head.

"Xion." Haru says.

"Yup. I'm doing this for her." Sora admits.

"Why? You don't have anything to gain! ONLY EVERYTHING TO LOSE!" Haru says angrily.

"....... Because. I have to do this." Sora says.

"Why?" Haru and Riku say in unison, twin expressions of confusion on their faces.

"Because... they cried." Sora's eyes darken as he remembers.

"Huh? Who cried, Sora?" Kairi places a hand on Sora's shoulder.

"... Roxas. You really think I couldn't hear him? Both of them, they screamed, they wanted.... to be together. THEY WERE SO DAMN LONELY! It hurt, it hurt a lot! BECAUSE IT WAS ALL MY FAULT!" Sora yells.

"Sora..." Roxas steps forward and faces his Other.

"I couldn't.... even visit Twilight Town. So Roxas could see Hayner and the others. Heck, he was so lonely, he even wanted to see SEIFER." Sora laughs bitterly.

"Sora! It's.... not.." Riku tries to say, but can't figure out what words to use.

"I want them to be together. One last time." Sora says, a slight smile on his face.

"One last.. time?" Roxas asks.

"One last sunset." Sora says and start to laugh, and in the middle of his laughter, he begins to cry, cry for the ones he'd lost, the ones they all had lost. He collapses and still laughing, still crying, he falls asleep, to dream once more.

**Unknown Location**

"Why did you hit him?" A dark voice asks.

"....... Oh. You again. Hey Sora." Axel says.

"Answer my question." Sora demands. His blue eyes glare from under his hood.

"..... I don't want him to see me like this. ANY of them." Axel says angrily.

".....You're a coward." Sora accuses.

"Fair enough. I don't really care what YOU think." Axel snaps.

"They tore my friends from me; I did the same to you and yours. Please..... I want to ask for your forgiveness. " Sora suddenly says.

"Eh? You what?" Axel asks, confused.

"Forgive me. I'm sorry."

"..... Apology accepted. Happy?" Axel rolls his eyes.

"No. I'm finding her too."

"Don't bother. I'll find her, both of those girls deserve better than the Organization." Axel muses.

"Are you going back to the Tower?" Sora asks.

"Nope. Not til I remember, and not til I find them. Then we'll watch the sunset again." Axel says with a smile on his lips.

"Good. I'll take care of Roxas. And.... Here." A flash and a small chain link flies through the air, into Axel's waiting hand.

"Shoulda figured that you gave me a broken one." Axel says as it attaches itself to the Bond of Flame keychain around his neck.

"Not broken. Unfinished." Sora says, before vanishing.

"Riiight..God...... Roxas, I'm sorry. I don't ever.... want to hurt you two again." Axel says and a single tear streams down his face as he watches the sunlight dance in a small beam in the dark room. He closes his eyes, to remember his new memories.

" 'Are you sure... that you really don't have a heart?' "

" ' I don't know... I just can't... look inside.' "

"Me either buddy. Me either." Axel whispers to the heavens.


	18. Demyx The Melodious Nocturne

**I am an idiot.**

**I wrote the chapter AFTER this one first!**

**X x x x xxx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x X x x**

"Demyx, why are you here?" Demyx hears in the back of his mind, after they start reassuring Roxas.

"...... I want to be free." Demyx murmurs to himself.

Flashback

".......... Demyx, what are you doing?" Luxord asks.

"uhh... Nothin'!" Demyx says nervously. He'd been trying to sneak into Namine's room to try to break her out.

".........Demyx. Run." Luxord says seriously.

"Huh?" Demyx summons his Arpeggio, in fear of a fight.

" I don't want.... for... Well, let's say I'll be playing my own game for now on." Luxord smiles.

"...Wha? Game?" Demyx lowers the sitar.

"Demyx, find Axel. These are orders." Luxord says coldly.

"...Sure, no problem... But I'm not exactly the right guy for the job." Demyx protests.

"But I want more than one member to survive this time." Luxord says.

".... Really? What do you mean?" Demyx asks.

"Hmph. Think. Just who survived our first battles with Sora?" Luxord says.

"Um..... In Castle Oblivion, only Axel did." Demyx says nervously.

"Exactly. Plus he's their friend, our ace in the hole. Find him and maybe I'll say something got you in the process." Luxord starts to telepathically shuffle cards.

"..... You're... letting me go?" Demyx asks, shocked.

"Yes. You did not want to be part of the Organization in the first place. .... I ... pity you." Luxord says sadly.

".... I'm sorry." Demyx apologizes.

"GO. NOW. I command you to find Axel. And bring him back, then you will be free to go. Go play music." Luxord vanishes.

End Flashback

I'm not doing this because I'll be free...

I'm doing this because I think it's the right thing to do.

Luxord.... thank you.


	19. Axel The Flurry of the Dancing Flames

**YES!!! AXEL'S CHAPTER!!!!**

**BOO YEAH!!!!!**

**X x x x x xxx x x x x x X**

Twilight Town

".... Well, time to get off my ass." Axel laughs bitterly and stands up. He'd finally remembered. His best friend, Roxas.

".... Geez, I'm a jackass." Axel mutters to himself. He could still see the shocked expression on his face.

Flashback

Roxas walks through the neon-lit streets of the Dark City, and passes Axel, who is leaning against a building without a thought. Axel watches as his friend keeps walking.

"Your mind's made up?" he asks, his mind pleading for Roxas to stop. Roxas pauses.

"Why did the Keyblade choose me? I have to know." Roxas says softly. Axel gets mad.

"You can't turn on the Organization! You get on their bad side, and they'll destroy you!" He says to his friend.

_Roxas... stay. Please._ Axel begs in his mind.

"No one would miss me." Roxas says bitterly over his shoulder as he walks away.

"That's not true!... I would." Axel says and he looks at the ground, feeling helpless. And then he glances up at the starry night.

_Why? We're..... best friends._

End Flashback

"Dammit! I couldn't protect them! Roxas... and... that girl..." Axel swears violently as a sharp pain flashes through his head and he falls to the ground, clutching his head in his hands.

Flashback

"Axel... Don't hold back... Promise." A girl pleads.

End Flashback

"WHO ARE YOU?! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?!" Axel screams, more blinding white hot pain coursing through his body like fire.

"DON'T HOLD BACK?! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" he screams again as the pain flashes through his mind again. As suddenly as it started, it ends, with Axel panting exhausted.

"..... Help me.... Roxas... I gotta find him... and..... maybe... he can... forgive me." Axel says, trying to cheer himself up.

Gummy ship

"Look, I'M FINE." Sora says as they drag him to bed.

"YOU FAINTED. AGAIN." Riku snarls.

"That's only.... really hard to explain." Sora says, slightly embarrassed.

".... Huh?" Roxas turns around. He had heard something...

" '.... forgive me'?" He repeats.

"You didn't do anything Roxas!" Riku snaps, in a bad mood.

"NO YOU IDIOT! I JUST HEARD SOMEONE SAY THAT!" Roxas says and shushes him.

"......" Roxas hears nothing.

"Great. NOW ROXAS is going crazy!" Riku rolls his eyes.

".......STOP THE SHIP!!!" Roxas screams at Donald.

"Huh?! Why?!" The duck says, surprised.

"MOVE!" Roxas runs over, shoves Donald out of the driving seat and takes control.

"Gawrsh! Don'tcha think you should calm down?" Goofy says, surprised at the expression on Roxas's face.

"NO!" Roxas spins the wheel towards...

"DESTINY ISLANDS?! WHY THERE?!" Kairi asks, grabbing onto Roxas.

"He's there! I can feel it!" Roxas snaps at her.

"Huh?" Riku grabs Kairi just as the ship spins out of control, crash landing on the white sands of the smaller islands.

"Ugh... Roxas, I'm gonna kill you!" Riku yells. Roxas ignores him and jumps out of the ship. He runs toward the beach of the main island.

"ROXAS!" Sora calls out and Roxas glances back.

"I won't give up on Axel!" Roxas says over his shoulder. He summons a huge crystalline orb in his hand and blasts it toward the water. It instantly freezes and Roxas skids across.

"...... Why didn't WE think of that?!" Riku says and the group runs to follow the running boy.

".................." He sits fitfully on the sand underneath the tree.

"Dammit...." Axel mutters. He holds up the charm Sora had given him.

"Stupid... Bond of Flame... Didn't do any good." Axel, in a fit of rage and hopelessness, throws it as hard as he could toward the water.

"AXEL!" Roxas runs in front of it and catches it.

"... Roxas." Axel says and sits up.

"Hey partner! Drop something?" Roxas laughs and holds up the discarded charm.

"NOPE!" Axel stands up and runs to his friend, playfully punching Roxas in the arm as he accepts the charm.

"................" Sora smiles as another link forms in the air behind the two friends and joins itself to the evergrowing chain.

"Welcome back Axel!" Roxas says, his eyes gleaming.

"Glad to be back.... Partner." Axel says and ruffles his friend's blonde hair, knowing that would tick him off.

"HEY!" Roxas laughs and then Axel laughs, both for no reason at all.

"Welcome home." Sora murmers behind them, his blue eyes shining with a knowing gleam.


	20. Battle Between Old Friends

**God, you people are gonna hate me.**

**Disclaimers: KH is not mine, and neither are the characters or Disney.**

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x X**

Destiny Islands

"Well, count me as part of the team." Axel says as he grins up at Sora.

"Yo, Axel. About time you made it back." Sora says with a secretive smile.

"Sora, you little bastard. I KNEW you might have somethin' to do with it." Axel shakes his head.

"WHAT?! SORA, WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN KEEPING FOR US!" Riku snarls.

"Well..... the whole Organization's coming back, Xion is looking for Axel and Roxas, Saix is almost ready to awaken, and DiZ is back. Did I miss anything?" Sora says, counting off his little list on his fingers.

"Uh, me." Haru says.

"And Haru's on our side now. And Castle Oblivion and the Castle That Never Was are both back." Sora says.

"..... WHAT?!" they all shout, except Haru, who had already known and Axel who kinda remembered.

"Huh? Am I the only one who noticed?" Sora asks, confused.

"Uh... YEAH!" Roxas says sarcastically.

"OH. I guess it's cause of her then!" Sora says, nodding.

".... Her?" Axel asks.

"You really don't remember." A soft voice says and they all turn around rapidly.

"That's .... ?!" Roxas pulls out his Keyblades and glares angrily at the source of the voice.

"..... Roxas, you found him. Congratulations." The figure laughs bitterly and claps slowly.

"Who the hell are you?" Axel demands, pulling out his Eternal Flames chakrams.

"Hm. Who indeed. A forgotten number, I guess." The figure says solemnly.

"Forgotten..?" Roxas asks.

"You really did... forget. That's sad." The figure says and, with a trembling hand, reaches up to their hood.

"..XIV!" Demyx calls out.

"Demyx. Haru. I'll deal with you two later. Right now, my targets are Axel and Roxas." Xion says coldly.

"Huh?! Us? Look kid, you'll have to train for years to even TRY to beat us!" Axel says smugly. Xion raises an eyebrow, and start laughing.

"RIIIGHT! Like I'll fall for that obvious macho act!" She laughs.

"GRR!" Axel grips his chakrams tighter.

"...... I'm just so tired...." Xion says, and looks up at her two friends. She shakes her head, and her black hair sways gently with the wind. Her ocean blue eyes glitter coldly, and with suppressed anger.

"Who are you? And how do you know the Organization?" Roxas asks.

"Hmph." Xion summons a Keyblade.

"WHOA!" Axel yelps in surprise.

"This is called... True Light's Flight. Do you recognize it, Roxas? Axel?" Xion asks.

".... Hey...." Roxas's eyes widen in recognition.

"Isn't that the keyblade you gave...?" Axel pauses, confused on what he remembered.

"How pathetic. BOTH OF YOU CAN'T REMEMBER." Xion snaps.

"Four-Fourteen?" Demyx says nervously. Sora grabs his arm.

"Don't interfere. Just watch." He says softly to the remaining group members, beside Roxas and Axel.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Riku asks.

"Watch their faces. Especially Xion's. Do you recognize that expression?" Sora says, a flash of sadness in his normally cheerful eyes.

"ENOUGH! WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!" Axel shouts, pissed off.

"..........I'm so tired of this...." Xion mutters to herself.

"what?" Roxas asks. Xion glares at him.

"I'M SO SICK OF IT! You two just keep on going, you two just keep vanishing! Everyone's worried about you, AND YOU CAN'T JUST STAY! FINE! YOU TWO JUST KEEP ON RUNNING! But remember... THAT I'LL ALWAYS BE THE ONE TO DRAG YOU BACK!!!" Xion snarls. She grips her Keyblade tightly in her hand and rushes at Roxas. He looks up surprised, and manages to reflect the blow.

"HEY!" Axel flings his chakrams at her but she blocks them.

"We gotta hel-" Demyx begins to say but then Xion snaps her fingers. A shining barrier separates the fighting trio and the others.

"Riku.... Do you remember that?" Sora says softly.

"Yeah.... Those are... like what we did. When WE fought each other." Riku says, remembering.

"Sometimes... Friends have to fight, in order to prove how much they care for each other." Sora says with a smile.

"TAKE THIS!" All three clash together and slam weapons into each others. All Keyblades and chakrams fly out of their owner's hands. They each glare at each for a moment before grabbing them again.

_**"I've decided that I have to go back to where I belong." **_

_Don't lose her. _Roxas slashes at Xion and rips part of the jacket's sleeve off, Axel throws his chakrams and clips the side of her face, drawing crimson blood.

_**"Please don't hold back, Axel. Promise."**_

_I won't. I promise. _Axel snarls. He screams and lights his chakrams aflame and slashes.

**  
**_**"I belong with Sora. And now, I am going back... to be with him."**_

_Don't go._ Roxas begs and keeps slashing, his body growing sluggish and heavy.

_Stay, please! _Axel grins and hurriedly unleashes a series of fire balls.

_**"Roxas... I need you... to do me a favor. All those hearts that I've captured... Kingdom Hearts... Set them free."**_

_I can't, not without you._ The battle comes to a stand still and all three rush back, several yards away from each other.

_**R...Roxas...**_

".... What... was that?" Axel murmurs to himself.

"I know her." Roxas says softly.

_**Your name...it's...Roxas, isn't it?**_

"Heh. You guys still can fight, even though you're broken." Xion comments, wiping blood from the side of her face. She stares at it for a moment, and flicks it onto the sand.

_**A little something extra?**_

"Yup, looks like it." Axel says with a weak grin. He clutches at his side, and wipes his own drops of blood into the sand.

_**Well, you're awake now. That's what counts. **_

"Man.... whatta workout." Roxas says, and he shakes his head.

_**I can't... I can't use the Keyblade anymore.**_

"Ready to go again?" Xion grips her Keyblade tighter.

"Ready when you are, partner." Axel says to Roxas. Roxas nods.

"Rea-" Roxas and Axel pause.

_**Thanks... So...Axel, does that mean you and I can be friends?**_

"Why are you doing this?" Roxas asks Xion.

_**Thank you... Roxas, Axel, thank you! **_

"What? What do you mean? I have to." Xion says.

"But why?" Axel asks.

".... It's for the good of everyone." Xion says nervously.

"You know somethin' I learned? _EVERYONE_ THINKS THEY'RE RIGHT. So how do_ YOU _know that?!" Axel snaps.

"Is it the right answer for you? Does it make you happy? That's the REAL question here." Roxas says, his blue eyes gleaming.

"... I... I.." Xion backs away from them.

"Answer his question, Xion. Does this make you happy?" Axel smiles, as he finally could remember the name that had eluded him for so long.

"I..... I... have ...to.." Xion says, looking as if she was about to burst into tears.

"You say that we don't remember you. But didn't YOU forget us too?" Roxas says, and his Keyblades vanish.

"Look, we might not remember, but our hearts do. It's different from the first time, Sora's awake. He's the Keyblade Master, right? So why should he tear our world apart, when he's supposed to bring them together? .... Do you really want to go back to that? Being trapped inside him? Where.... no matter how much pain you're in, no matter how loud you scream, they can't hear you?" Axel asks.

"But.... It's... for-"

"STOP THINKING OF OTHERS FOR A CHANGE!" Roxas and Axel say in unison.

"Do... you... remember me?" Xion asks, her face hopeful. Axel and Roxas glance at each other and grin.

"You're our best friend!" They say in unison.

"Roxas! Axel! You remember me!" Xion says and.. then suddenly begins to cry. Her heart felt like it was going to burst, her precious friends, her beloved family, remembered.

"Let's start over. C'mon, Xion! Let's go get that ice cream." Axel says and holds out his right hand to her.

"If we don't hurry, they might run out!" Roxas holds out his left hand to Xion. They both look warmly at her, their beloved friend, had come back.

"What is it that you want?" They ask in unison.

"To... To be with you guys." Xion says and wipes away a tear.

"Then? C'mon!" Axel says and winks at her.

"We'll save the worlds, the three of us, like how it used to be." Roxas says, his blue eyes shining.

"Guys...." Xion sighs in relief and takes a step forward. Behind her, an ominous shadow forms inside her own.

"... I..." Xion starts to say, when a hand grabs her around the wrist. Her blue eyes widen and she glances behind her, and recognizes the face behind the hood.

"S...Saix..." Xion says in horror and then she hears a low chuckle.

"Welcome back.... XIV." The dark figure says, before wrapping his arms around her waist.

"XION!" Axel calls out, chakrams blazing out to be summoned.

"XION!" Roxas screams, in fear for his friend.

"We don't accept resignations.... especially not yours." Saix whispers to Xion, his golden eyes gleaming wolfishly in the shadows of his deep hood. Dark tendrils wrap around Xion's feet, sticking her to him.

"No... Roxas.... Axel!!" Xion pleads and then she vanishes, swallowed up by the shadows.

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x X**

** All I can say at this point....**

**Gotcha.**


	21. Saix The Lunar Diviner

**Yes I know I was messed up in the last chapter.**

**I got some people sad and made them cry, and I got some people pissed off.**

**You know who you are.**

**And dammit all, if I didn't do a good job on this one too!**

**Enjoy all, and don't get mad!!**

**Xx x x x xxx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x X**

Flashback

_"Wake up!" A voice says._

_"Hmm.... Where...?" _

_"Sleepin'. NOW WAKE UP! NOW ISA!!!" The voice says again, angrily._

_"Lea?" Saix sits up._

_"Yo. Look, wake up NOW. Or else." The boy says says, and starts spinning a Frisbee on his finger. His emerald green eyes gleam in the strange room, and his shock of firey red hair gets rapidly rubbed as he looks around nervously._

_"Lea... It is you." Saix says, his face clouded by sadness._

_"Wake up. Seriously; this ain't cool. You gotta." Lea says again, and keeps nervously spinning the golden with black designs Frisbee on his fingers, passing it from one to the other._

_"Why? Is there something I'm supposed to do?" Saix says, and the instant he gets out of the odd crystalline shape he had been resting on, he transforms into a young boy with somber golden eyes. Isa._

_"Just wake up! I'm sick of telling you!" Lea snaps._

_"No. I don't want to.... You're not my friend anymore, not out there." Isa says stubbornly._

_"UGGGGHHH! I always had to push ya, didn't I? C'mon, partner, let's get a move out!" Lea grabs Isa's wrist and starts dragging him off._

_"Wh-Where are you taking me?" Isa says, surprised at Lea's violent behavior._

_"Time to wake up, _SAIX_." Lea says and leads him to a dark pit. It seemed endless, with nothing to catch onto, nothing to save you._

_"What is that thing?" Isa says, his breath catching at the sight of the endless hole._

_"Your ticket outta here. Say hi to Xion and Roxas for me." Lea says. He grins rather nervously at him._

_"NO! They took you away from me! Your own best friend! I was always _JEALOUS_ of them!" Isa says angrily._

_"..... Really? Geez..... Look, I'll be friends with you again, promise. But you have to leave. And... make sure that guy doesn't get ya." Lea says and looks around nervously again. He seemed to be waiting for something, and that it was something he'd rather not face._

_"Guy?" Isa asks. Lea flashes him a grin._

_"See ya later, partner!" Lea slams a Frisbee into Isa's chest, knocking him off balance into the dark pit._

_"LEAAAA!!!"_

Castle That Never Was

"Uh!" Saix's eyes flash open.

"Lea!" Saix says, and then notices a strange case surrounding him. He lightly touches it and it shatters, and he stands up, brushing glass shards from his dark coat.

"Lea?" Saix calls out. All he sees to the left of him is shattered cases, with scattered rubbish inside. He gets out of his own case and walks to the one next to his. An ash covered Frisbee and a snapped chakram lay in the glass coated bottom of that particular case.

"Lea...." Saix whispers and picks up the Frisbee. He brushes silvery black ash off its surface, restoring it to pristine condition before depositing it deep inside his pocket.

"No... This is... the Castle." Saix says, examining the area. Then he notices the second row of cases, in front of his own. His was the last in a row of seven, with .......

"XEMNAS." Saix walks to the case and taps on it. The sleeping Superior of the Organization doesn't stir, although nearby a boy with silvery purple hair opens his eyes, before falling back asleep.

"Hmph. Pathetic." Saix says and examines the rest of the cases. Zexion was at the front of the room, followed by Lexaeus, followed by Vexen, next to him was Xaldin, and next to him was Xigbar and Xemnas, all sleeping in a fitful sleep.

"What are we doing here?" Saix asks himself.

"WELL! Hot damn, Saix woke up!" A familiar female voice says. Saix turns around.

"Larxene." He says coolly.

"Number Seven." She laughs and grabs his arm.

"You gotta come with me; we could use you." Larxene says.

End Flashback

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!!" Xion snarls and struggles against Saix's iron grip.

"No. I want to know what you did, puppet." Saix snaps at her.

"GEEZ! Getting a heart hasn't improved your attitude!" Xion says sarcastically. Saix raises an eyebrow before laughing.

"Huh?" Xion looks at him, suddenly confused.

"Well, maybe not. But..." He suddenly slams her viciously to the wall, knocking the wind out of her.

"You haven't either." He growls, absolute hate in his golden eyes.

"......." Xion begins to tremble and then quickly tries to hide it.

"Hmph. Insolent puppet." He leads her to a large room, where a sleeping girl lay.

"N-Namine!" Xion calls out.

"Namine... has been most cooperative. I hope you are as well, XIV." Saix says and roughly throws Xion to the floor.

"Ugh!" Xion groans when she hits the cold tile floor.

"If you are not, I won't hesitate with you. And unlike Marluxia.... I won't stop at mere bruises." Saix smiles cruelly and vanishes from the room. A large barricade covers the door and Xion screams defiantly at it.

"DAMN YOU SAIX! DAMN ALL OF YOU! WHEN I GET OUT OF HERE, YOU'RE ALL GOING TO PAY!" Xion howls in anger. Then she hears Namine's labored breathing when she calms down. She immediately runs to her side.

"Who did this to you?" Xion asks softly, as she sees that Namine's arms had been badly beaten and that her left hand had been crushed painfully. Thickly dried blood remained on the now useless hand, and Namine continues to dream fitfully, her tears mixing with crimson blood flowing from a cut under her eye, and dark bruises covered the other arm, some freshly made, others healing and discolored.

"X.... Xion?" Namine coughs out, and she tries to sit up, but gasps out in pain.

"Namine!" Xion holds her close and Namine starts to laugh.

"So this is what Marluxia meant, that they'd bring me a friend soon.... I'm so sorry, Xion." Namine begins to cry and Xion just hugs her a little tighter, knowing how lonely that the girl felt.

"Who did this to you?" Xion asks again.

"M-Marluxia... and L-Larxene.... I wouldn't use my memory powers for them." Namine shudders and then smiles weakly.

"They're watching Sora and the others now.... because I used them." Namien says, her eyes clouding with misery.

"I'll break us out, I promise. And then we all can be together, just the four of us. Roxas, Axel, wait for us, and don't you dare forget again!" Xion says determinedly.

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx X**

**Okay, a brief explanation might be needed.**

**I think Marluxia and Larxene are both sadists.**

**Namine is kinda innocent, so they beat her up.**

**Enough said, and I ALSO think they abused her in CoM.**


	22. Zexion The Cloaked Schemer

**Yup, you guys are GUARANTEED another 7 chapters.**

**Just want to point that out, we're almost done.**

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x X**

Unknown Location

"This is taking too long." A boy says, annoyed.

"You know, you COULD have patience." A girl retorts.

"But... He hasn't even found out about the three Master Keyholes yet!" the boy protests.

"And he won't. It's up to us." The girl says, a solemn look in her blue eyes.

"Man.... we really changed, didn't we?" The boy says.

"Dying... will do that to someone." The girl laughs.

"Yup, we're all pawns... in this little game. Just like the Keyblade Master. Soon, I think we'll have to go get our hands dirty." The boy says.

"Our first objective... is to rescue the Memory Witch, and the Key of Faith." The girl says and her blue eyes gleam.

"Heh... You're gonna have fun with this, aren't you, Aqua?"

**_Castle That Never Was_**

"........." A boy trembles in a fitful sleep, his face in a contortion of pain.

"Run!" Ienzo hears, and he keeps running. He was five years old again, and running.

"GET BACK HERE RUNT!" An angry voice screams at him, and he feels scared.

_I have to keep running.... my book.... it's precious to me....._

The book his mother and father had given to him. The one, with all the world's stories in it. Izeno runs his small hands over the deep black cover, and continues to run.

"THERE HE IS!" A deep voice says angrily and Ienzo feels trapped. He continues to run, as fast he could, and wishes for someone to help him.

"H-H-HELP ME!!! THEY'RE GOING TO KILL ME!!!" Ienzo yells, and then he falls, a throbbing pain in his ear. He screams, soundlessly as the boy chasing him picks up another rock.

"look here, BRAT. You give me that book, or I'm gonna rip it up! What's it gonna be?" The boy smirks.

"... H-Help me.... please..." Ienzo begs.

"No one to he-" Ienzo closes his eyes and then feels nothing. No pain. Warily he opens a single blue eye.

"Y-You're... !" The boy says in fear.

"You. Get up, little one." The man commands. He had an air of power surrounding him. Ienzo stands up, shakily, and then glares.

"Who are you to demand of me? Just because we have no parental figures in our lives, does not mean you can interfere whenever you wish, SIR." Ienzo says, mockingly. He knew, if he didn't stand up for the boy, he'd be punished man raises an eyebrow at the sound of the little speech.

"What is your name, boy?" He asks, with a slight smile on his face. His eyes gleamed with, pride, of all things.

"Ienzo! His name is Ienzo!" The boy says, still being clutched at the wrist by the man.

"Is he your brother?" The man asks him.

"No! He's at the same dorm as me, and I gotta take care of the little runt!" The boy snaps.

"..........You beat me, and that counts as care giving? That is rather pathetic of you, Oiun." Ienzo says coldly.

"Ienzo. Would you like to be adopted?" The man asks.

" Pardon?" Ienzo asks, had he heard right?

"Would you like to be adopted?" The man asks again.

"I refuse pity." Ienzo says angrily.

"Think of it as charity, and you will not be merely my son. You'll have much work to do, as my apprentice." The man says.

"Apprentice?" Ienzo asks.

"Yes, my name is Ansem The Wise."

_Is this how we repaid him?_ A soft voice asks.

"What?" Ienzo turns around. The scene vanishes and an exact copy of himself stood inside a large crystalline mirror.

_He gave us a home.... he became our father... Zexion... how could we? _The ghostly Ienzo asks.

"Zexion?"

"AH!" Zexion opens his eyes, to see a looming shadow over him.

"Wake up... my son." Ansem the Wise says.

"Father." Zexion says softly.


	23. Reunion with Ansem The Wise

**This is really stupid.**

**Disclaimers: KH is not mine, and YES, there may be spoilers!!**

**Enjoy folks....**

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x X**

_Destiny Islands_

"THEY TOOK HER!! DAMMIT, I'M GONNA KILL HIM!!" Axel snarls, as theo thers look on the two friends.

"we... We were so close.... I'M GONNA KILL THAT STUPID SAIX!!!" Roxas yells, extremely angry.

"Huh? What's that?" Demyx asks, and the two turn behind them. A large dark portal begins to form, and it immediately gets strengthened by a blast of unknown light.

"It's... like a Corridor of Darkness." Kairi says.

"What is it?" Sora asks.

"It's a..." Riku steps back as a dark figure walks through the corridor. It holds its hand out behind them, and a familiar figure walks out of the corridor.

"ANSEM THE WISE!" Everyone calls out.

"Hello, my friends." Ansem the Wise says with a slight smile.

"Then THAT'S Haru! Right?" Demyx asks, pointing to the figure.

"Excuse me? Do I even LOOK vaguely like that replication?" Zexion says and removes his hood.

"WHOA! It's Zexion!" Axel says. Zexion flashes him a glare and looks as if he was about to attack Axel but then Ansem places a hand on his shoulder.

"Enough Ienzo." Ansem says.

"Yes sir." Zexion says.

"So.... Is Zexy on our side?!" Demyx says, surprised.

"WHAT SIDE?! WE'RE JUST TRAVELING TOGETHER, YOU IDIOT!!" Riku snaps at him.

"DON'T YELL AT ME!" Demyx snaps back.

"MAKE ME, GUITAR BOY!"

"IT'S CALLED A SITAR! SITAR!!! S-I-T-A-R!"

"GRRRR!!!" Riku and Demyx have a glaring match. Sora shrugs and walks up to Zexion.

"I'm Sora. Nice to meet you." He says cheerfully.

"Salutations. I am Zexion, number 6 of the Rank. Pardon, but I do know your name." Zexion shakes his hand.

"You were at Castle Oblivion, right?" Kairi chips in.

"Yes. I was. Pleasure to meet you, Princess." Zexion bows his head respectfully at her.

"Ienzo. We can be aquanted later. For now, we must get to a safe haven." Ansem says.

"Of course, Father. One moment please." Zexion waves his hand and the portal shifts into a slightly light shade of white.

"Please come this way." Ansem says and they all follow him and Zexion into the portal.

"This is-!" Kairi says.

"This is Castle Oblivion itself. Sora, you really did leave a mess." Ansem the Wise says. The large room had a small table with several empty cups and bottles on it, several large computers hanging from the walls, and a dozen assorted chairs.

"S-Sorry....." Sora apologizes.

" Haru, we have returned." Zexion says.

"Don't care." Haru's voice says from somewhere behind a large computer.

".... Sora and the others are here." Ansem puts in.

"... Whooppeeee..." Haru says and keeps trying to fix the computer.

"Haru, Namine's here!" Sora just says randomly.

"WHERE?!" Haru pops his head out from behind the screen.

"Or was that Kairi?" Sora says, a mischevious grin on his face.

"Ass." Haru goes behind the computer again.

"Haru is attempting to establish a connection to the Castle That Never Was." Zexion explains, and flicks his purply hair out of his face.

"IS MAKING!" Haru snaps at Zexion before popping back behind the computer.

"Why?" Kairi asks.

"It is for reconnainse purposes, Princess." Zexion explains.

"We're gonna spy on those Heartless bastards!" Haru says, giving the simple explanation.

"............. So, who else woke up?" Axel asks.

"Saix and I. That is all." Zexion says.

"Ienzo, manners." Ansem says, chuckling.

"Yes Father...." Zexion says, and then sits down onto a comfortable chair.

"Please sit, my friends." Ansem says invintingly. They all scramble for chairs and make themselves comfortable.

"Um... Is Luxord here?" Demyx asks, after finding his chair.

"No. He is with the rest of the Organization members." Ansem tells him.

"oh.... but why's Zexion here?" Demyx asks.

"I could not leave my only son with those types of characters. On that topic, do you realize what has happened to Xion?" Ansem asks, a serious expression on his face.

"Uh YEAH! She got kidnapped!" Axel says, angrily. Ansem shakes his head.

"You do realize that Namine has also been captured?" Zexion asks.

"Yes, we know! But where are they?!" Roxas demands.

"We are not sure." Ansem says.

"The Castle That Never Was, STUPID!" Axel and Roxas say in unison.

".......... Hmph." Ansem begins to laugh.

"What's so funny?!" Axel demands.

"Oh, not you. You, stop lurking in the shadows." Ansem calls out behind Axel and the group.

"Huh?!" They turn around and a tall figure steps forward. He removes his hood and scans the group.

"Whoa! Lexaeus!" Demyx says.

"Lexaeus! Are .... you alright?" Zexion asks. Lexaeus nods.

"...... ?" He motions around them, obviously referring to the Organization.

"There is no control anymore. Our number Seven has turned into a traitor, along with the Neophytes, Marluxia and Larxene." Zexion says.

"........"

"Grr..." Riku summons his Way To The Dawn, keeping it ready in case of a fight. Lexaeus spots this and summons his Earthshaker.

"... Peace." He says, and drops it heavily at Riku and Sora's feet. It thuds, and causes the cups on the table to rattle slightly.

"He is on our side, Sora." Zexion says calmly.

"No need to fight, my friends." Ansem says.

"..... Namine is in a strange Castle." Lexaeus suddenly says.

"What?" Roxas asks.

"She has been terribly injured. She cannot last much longer, if XIV does not cooperate." Lexaeus says and shudders.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!" Roxas demands.

"What have they done to her?" Ansem the Wise asks calmly.

"......... Marluxia's specialty. Torture."

"WHAT?!" Everyone yells.

"I had feared for this..." Ansem says.

"Father. What are we to do?" Zexion asks.

"Fight, my son. Fight."


	24. Lexaeus The Silent Hero

**Well, some OC's came out....**

**That's really random but true.**

**Enjoy, and remember that I MIGHT need suggestions for the ending.**

**I don't want it to be so garshdamn sad!**

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x X**

Unknown Location

"...... Hmm... This kid's not half bad." A boy muses.

"Ven... We're supposed to be WATCHING them, not ADMIRING them!" A girl complains.

"Whatever, Aqua. Same thing. BUT GEEZ! I'm so BORED!!!" Ven complains.

"Then go do.... something." Aqua says.

"..... I think I'll go play with the Master Keyblade Wielder for a while... Besides, we gotta protect that Riku kid right? Which one is he again?" Ven asks, and yawns sleepily. He ruffles his hair and stretches.

"..... Not yet. We'll warn them later." She says seriously.

"Meh. I don't really care what happens to that Sora kid..... Besides, his fate's already sealed right?" Ven says with a sad look in his eyes.

"Yeah... Sora's going to become-"

"I know. Then we'll be the ones to destroy him." Ven smiles a solemn smile, and he begins to remember, someone else who fell into the same fate that was to become the Keyblade Master.

**Flashback**

"Lexaeus?" A soft voice calls out. He opens his eyes. A young boy smiles at him.

"It's time to wake up, Mister Lexaeus! Your friend's waiting for you." The boy says, his golden eyes gleaming softly in the dim light of the bizarre room.

"... Ienzo." Lexaeus whispers and sits up.

"That's right! Ienzo and Master Ansem need you, and the other Apprentices to help them! To take down the Organization!" The boy says and sits next to the calm demeanored man.

"......." Lexaeus looks at the young boy, who looked roughly 5 years old. He had soft features, fragile. His golden eyes seemed to absorb everything, as if the boy never wanted to miss a thing. He had dark hair, and Lexaeus did not recognize him at all.

"Please wake up, Mister! Or Big Brother might get mad!" the boy says again and begins to tug at Lexaeus's long coat to try to make him get up.

"UP UP UP!!!!" the boy says and tugs harder.

"...." Lexaeus chuckles at the boy's antics and gets up.

"How do you know my name?" He asks calmly.

"Umm..... Well..... I'm a friend! My name is Lucian." Lucian holds out a tiny hand and Lexaeus shakes it carefully.

"Now... WAKE UP!" Lucian commands and then-

"Mmph!" Lexaeus's eyes flash open and then he hears the sound of shattering glass. He sits up and then looks around.

"........." He sees shattered cases, about 8 in total.

"... Zexion...." He says as he spots the one next to him, with burned and ripped pages inside it. Lexaeus gets up, and feels immediately stronger, his element of earth strengthening him.

**End Flashback**

"So, then you came here, before anyone could realize that you were awake?" Haru asks, an incredulous look on his face.

"...... Yes." Lexaeus nods.

"Hm. Must be weird, considering you're officially a traitor now, Lexaeus." Haru muses.

"HARU!" Ansem says sternly. Haru flinches in surprise and blushes.

"Lexaeus.... You do not who that boy was?" Zexion asks. Lexaeus shakes his head no.

"But I was awakened by someone I knew, my Other. Why would someone you did not even recognize be the one to break your slumber? It does not make sense!" Zexion says.

"But the boy said he was a friend! He's on our side." Sora points out.

"..... How do we know that?" Lexaeus asks softly, his deep voice rumbling like tumbling stones on a mountain top.

"We just have to trust him." Kairi says.

"Plus, not like we'll see the kid again." Riku comments, and everyone agrees.

"Maybe it was Lexaeus's conscience!" Demyx suggests.

"..... No. Lucian was real. He needed us." Lexaeus says, half to himself.

"My friend, confide in me. I will attempt to find this boy, if it is that important to you." Zexion says. Lexaeus smiles but shakes his head.

"Namine is more important."

**Unknown Location**

"LET ME OUT! HEY!!! YOU JUST CAN'T TREAT PEOPLE LIKE THIS, YOU ORGANIZATION MORONS!!!" Xion screams defiantly at the barricaded door, rage clear on her face.

"Xion... I'm sorry...." Namine says again and winces as she accidently bumps her injured hand against a small cup as she tried to drink some water.

"I'm sorry too.... I used up a lot of magic, and I don't have enough to fix your hand." Xion says, and carefully puts the cup to Namine's lips and allows the grateful girl to drink. Most of the bruises on Namine's arms and legs had been healed by a rapid series of Cure spells, but Xion only had enough to fix those, and nothing more. She removed most of the pain from the wounded hand but Namine still felt a slight burning flash of pain when she moved it.

"... Someone's coming!" Namine says, fear clouding her eyes.

"Stay behind me." Xion steps protectively in front of Namine and the barricade slides from the door. Xion summons her Kingdom Key, and rushes at the person.

"Foolish puppet." Saix chuckles and slams Xion to the floor with a malicious grin on his lips.

"Ugh!" Xion crumbles and her Keyblade slides across the floor, to Namine's feet.

"Are you ready? You must be since I've brought you your friend, Namine." Saix says, addressing Namine. Namine flinches as Saix comes closers and he, very gently, examines her hand.

"Those fools! Damaging it like this..." Saix shakes his head and a small pool of silvery light collects in his outstretched hand from the open window, revealing a calm moonlit forest. He rapidly twirls his index finger around Namine's injured hand and the hand begins to mend itself, and Namine gives out a small squeak as the bones realign.

"There. Better?" Saix says sarcastically. Xion gets up and rushes at Saix again, shouting curses and an animal like scream.

".... Have you nothing better to do?" Saix shakes his head and lowers his hand. In her rage, Xion slaps Saix across the face, leaving a deep red mark. Saix raises an eyebrow and then viciously grabs her leg.

"OW!!" Xion yelps as Saix rapidly flips her around and shakes her without mercy .

"Leave her alone!" Namine pleads. Saix smiles and drops Xion roughly. Xion glares at him.

"Namine. Come this way." Saix says and holds out a hand to her.

"Xion." Namine helps her up and the two girls stare at the opening of the door. In unison, they attempt to run but Saix laughs and snaps his fingers. A hoard of Berserker Nobodies form up, protecting the door.

"Going somewhere?" Saix laughs and then roughly shoves Xion back into the room, and cradles Namine to drag her off to another room.

"NAMINE!" Xion cries out, but then she is all alone, in a blank room. She begins to shiver and then she begins to cry, hot tears steaming out of her eyes, and both warming her and making her shudder.

"Roxas... Axel..... Help me...." She pleads to the silent moon.

There is no answer from the gleaming celestial body. Only darkness.


	25. Predictions and Dark Dreams

**This is just filler, and ....**

**I have already started on the next fic to this one, which is called The Unforgotten Promise.**

**Yes, pun on Oathkeeper.**

**and you'll see why when this one ends.**

**So enjoy, and remember, ALL THIS IS FORESHADOWING!!!**

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x X**

_"Hahaha..." An dark chuckle comes from his lips as he stares at the innocent girl in front of him. _

_"No.... NO!" She says and tries to run, but he moves rapidly and pins her to the wall._

_"Sorry _PRINCESS._ But.... He's already gone. It's just me now." He whispers gently into her ear._

_"Sora.. _SORA_!!" The girl whimpers._

_"Already gone. I'm me now. Not him." The boy laughs darkly again and carefully slips his fingers around her slim throat. A thin chain, with a small charm of a crown clanks softly against his cool fingers and he carefully tightens his fingers, watching the girl's changing expression intensely._

_"MMPH!" The girl clutches at her throat but he just laughs again and squeezes tighter. He smiles as the girl's beautiful sapphire eyes close, and she chokes out a final breath, and a final statement._

_"S..o..r..a..." she whispers, before falling into a endless sleep._

_"No....._KAIRI_!!!" Another voice screams, a young boy stares in horror at the pale girl and at the boy with crimson blood dripping down his fingers._

_"Riku." the other boy says to the shocked figure before him, and gently shakes his fingers clean of the dark blood._

_"DAMN YOU! _DAMN YOU TO HELL, SORA_!!" Riku screams, as he sees Kairi's peaceful face, finally resting in death. A necklace of dark crimson coats the skin around her bruised throat, shedding ruby drops onto the ground beneath her._

_"Good night... little Princess." Sora says, to the silent corpse. He smiles darkly again, golden eyes gleaming. He gently rubs his fingers, the last trace of the Seventh Princess of Heart dripping down his hand, pooling into a dark puddle around his feet._

Gummy Ship

"NO!" Sora sits up, soaked in cold sweat.

"No... No.." Sora begins to cry, as he can still smell the coppery scent of the blood on his hands, still feel the sensation of her gasping breath against his fingers. He tried to remember what he was doing, and remembered that he and the others had left Castle Oblivion, to try to get to Disney Castle, to ask for the King's help.

**A few Hours Later**

".........." Sora hadn't been able to sleep much after that, and had taken control of the Gummy Ship: Highwind from Donald so the sleepy duck could get some rest.

"... what's happening to me?" Sora whispers and he stares at his hand. There seemed no way to remove the blood from his hands. He knew that the dream had not been real.... but.... it seemed so much more than ordinary nightmares. Something about it... seemed sent. Like a... a warning.

"Just a dream... Just a dream." Sora murmurs to himself. It didn't help.

Unknown Location

"Hmmm... Interesting!" A voice says cheerfully.

"... You just messed with his mind, and you think it's interesting?" a woman asks.

"Yup. He's already got the warning. Maybe we CAN stop this, Aqua!" Ventus says, his blue eyes gleaming in excitement.

".... You have no idea... the strength he has. And how much it took me to remove you from him and from there." Aqua says, her older appearance dark and sad. She had been the only one... the only one left. Terra and Ventus had both vanished, leaving her the only one on the Plane Of Light. She looked much younger than her 30 or so years, but only because that was how Ventus remembered her.

"Eh, whatever. It's RIKU I'm worried about. Considering our plan is to destroy his best friend, and make him -"

"ENOUGH!" Aqua yells, suddenly infuriated at her partner's calm demeanor.

"Wha? What'd I say?" Ventus asks.

"You think I WANT him to die?! THINK FOR A MINUTE! We're doing what had happened to US! Destroying the bonds that keep them together! HOW IS THIS FAIR?!" Aqua yells, tears falling out of her eyes.

".... You're thinking that he'll be just like Terra huh? ... Me too.... But let's hope, that Sora can fight off the Darkness, when Terra couldn't."

Castle Oblivion

"..... So everyone will return." Zexion says darkly.

"Yes. I assume so. The next to awaken is Even's Nobody, Vexen." Ansem the Wise says.

"... Master." Lexaeus says softly.

"... I know." Ansem places a hand on the man's arm and smiles.

"No matter what, you two will remain safe. I swear it." Ansem vows.

"... We will fight. And if we die, then we shall die." Lexaeus says coldly, and then smiles.

"Father, what will happen to Sora, if you are predicting this correctly?" Zexion asks.

"Then he shall die."


	26. Ruxik's Prediction and Sora's Fate?

**My head's OFFICALLY messed up.**

**Disclaimers: KH is not mine, yes, yes.**

**Enjoy, and YES, it gets confusing with all the freakin' foreshadowing!**

**plus being hyper on jelly beans doesn't help.**

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x X**

Disney Castle

"It is as we feared, your Majesty." A hooded figure says, their cloak over a dark blue set of armor.

"...Golly... So Sora really is gonna turn into that?" King Mickey asks.

"Yes. We must defend the future Keyblade Master, Sora has no chance left." A second figure says, also dressed in golden full body armor and a long black cloak.

"I see....." King Mickey frowns, and summons his Keyblade.

"Your Majesty! There might be a slight chance to-" King Mickey holds up his hand and the figure stops.

"If Sora's gonna turn into the Dark Warrior, then I gotta tell the Counsel. You two, you left just tell me this, right? Aqua? Ventus?" The two remove their hoods.

"Yes, my Lord." Ventus says, his blue eyes flashing in anger.

"Yes." Aqua says calmly, her eyes meeting King Mickey's. He nods, and Aqua gives him a small mirror.

".... I never woulda thought! Poor Sora...." King Mickey says sadly, and then freezes.

"Someone's coming!" Ventus snarls and summons his golden Keyblade.

"King Mickey, please. Leave this to us. Even if it seems as if there is no danger, please. Stay hidden." Aqua requests, and summons her own Keyblade of blue and gray.

"King Micke-" Sora flies backward as Ventus slams his golden Keyblade into Sora's unprotected chest.

"Ugh!" Sora gasps out and Ventus grabs Sora's arm. He forceablly pulls part of the sleeve back, up to the shoulder, and examines it.

"Perfect." Ventus smiles, a little coldly, and presses a shining object to Sora's exposed forearm. A thin chain wraps around Sora's wrist and begins to glow white hot. A second chain wraps itself around the top of his forearm, and begins to glow a sharp red color.

"AAAAH!!!" Sora begins to scream in agony, and struggles against Ventus's iron grip, to no avail. Sora's skin begins to blacken, and burn until an exact imprint of the object Ventus had been holding showed clearly on Sora's arm and wrist.

"......" Sora gasps as Ventus lets his arm go, and he collapses to the ground, holding his burned arm and giving puppy like whimpers.

"SORA!!" Riku snarls and rushes at Ventus, Way To The Dawn at the ready.

"Oh, there he is! Perfect timing, Riku!" Ventus easily dodges the attack and then turns to Aqua.

"My Lord, it is safe. It was only Sora and Riku." she calls to him. King Mickey walks from behind the throne, and smiles happily at Riku.

"Riku! Sora! It's been too long!" He runs over, and Riku glares at Ventus.

"What did you do to him?" He demands, watching Sora clutching his arm.

"Heh. Nothing, Lord Riku." Ventus says, grinning.

"Huh? Did you just call me Lord?" Riku asks, confused.

"... Hey... It doesn't hurt anymore!" Sora says in surprise and stares at his arm. A black design of a star and chain circling around his wrist and leading back the front of his arm. A second chain glowed black and circled around the top of his arm. The Star design at the bottom was a deep golden color, and looked like a...

"A Paopu?" Sora asks.

"Correct! It's my lucky charm, and that's gonna let me know EXACTLY when you turn, Sora!" Ventus says proudly.

"Huh? Turn into what?" Riku asks.

"RIKU! SORA!" Kairi runs in, followed by Axel, Roxas, Donald and Goofy.

"Don't cha think it's better to stick together?" Goofy asks, slightly out of breath.

"YEAH! What's the big idea?!" Donald demands.

"Sorry guys. I had to check it out." Sora says.

"Get our message, Sora?" Ventus asks, and then spots Roxas.

"AQUA, LOOK!" Ventus runs over.

"HE LOOKS JUST LIKE ME! SWEET!" Ventus says excitedly, poking at Roxas at all angles.

"... Ven, you knew what he looked like. Why are you getting so excited?" Aqua asks.

"Cause he looks EXACTLY like ME! How am I NOT supposed to be excited?!" Ventus protests.

".... I really had hoped you grew out of that..." Aqua sighs.

"Well, excuse me for being excited on the Nobody! You're just jealous cause you don't got a look like." Ventus says smugly.

"I'm right here you know!" Roxas says, trying to back away from Ventus's prodding.

"..Xion." Ventus flinches as she says that.

"OH NO FAIR! She doesn't count! Try again!" Ventus rapidly says, his face turning red.

"Namine." Aqua smirks. Ventus grimaces.

"Nope, nope, doesn't count!"

"... Kairi." Aqua says, smugly. Ventus just frowns.

"You're just trying to mess with me." He accuses.

"No, we look somewhat alike. Except I'm older." Aqua rolls her eyes at Ventus's childness.

"Fine. They count. Whoopee.... HEY! Don't we have to do something?" Ventus asks, his face scrunching in confusion.

".... Pledge?" Aqua asks.

"Riiiiight, pledge." They both summon their Keyblades again.

"Um... Lessee.."

"We pledge our allegienance to you, Lord Riku." Aqua says.

"Yup, we're yours to command!" Ventus says, and they both drop to their knees holding their Keyblades to him.

"Huh?! WHAT THE-?!" Axel says in shock.

"....Umm... What are you two doin-" Riku pauses as Way To The Dawn suddenly appears in his hand, and it flashes a sharp white. The Keyblades in Aqua's and Ventus's hands do the same and then they stand up.

"Sweet. We're done... Hang on, Mickey too." Ventus turns to the King and they repeat the same actions. King Mickey nods and the pair stands up.

"Ven, whatcha gonna do now?" King Mickey asks.

"Well, I was thinking of bringing Riku and Kairi to our world for some basic trainin-" Ventus pauses.

"... Anyone feel that?" Riku asks, a strange chill coursing through his body, making it harder to breath and he begins to shiver.

"Huh? Feel what?" Goofy asks.

"I don't feel anythin'..." Donald says, confused.

"Nope." Axel shrugs and Kairi looks around.

"It's... colder right?" She asks, her breath beginning to fog in front of her.

"... It's.. dark..." Roxas says with horror in voice, and he begins to shudder in a combination of fear and cold.

"LOOK!" Riku points to King Mickey's Throne and a figure dressed in dark silver armor appears.

"Wha... Where..?" It looks around, and then lightly touches the armor on its left shoulder. The armor and it flashes, and a man stares at the crowd around him. The man had long silver hair and his right eye was a deep greenish blue. Around his left eye was a series of healed scars, the remains of a painful wound that must have occured long ago. He had scars on his arms, long gashes seeming to have been done by an extremely sharp knife.

".. KAIRI!? It can't be..." He says, looks shocked. He stares around him, and then his gaze meets Riku's.

".. Oh. I get it. The Keyhole." Ther young man laughs bitterly, his eyes showing his true misery. A huge ornate lock appears on the front of his armor like clothes, black with silver designs chaining themselves to his wrists.

"Geez... I won't go easy on you, Riku. You need all the training you can get." The man says coldly, and then he opens his right eye which had been closed the whole time. A deep shining golden color stares down at Riku, seeming cold and eternal.

"GRR! I'll show you!" Riku and Sora both run forward but then Sora stops dead in his tracks, stopped by some unknown force.

"What the?!" Sora struggles against the glue like barrier keeping him from helping Riku, but then the man summons Ultimia.

"How... How do you have that?!" Riku demands. The man doesn't answer but stares at Kairi.

"... Four years... That's how long it's been, Kairi... Since Keyxs..." The man snarls viciously and glares back at Riku.

"You better learn how to protect her, KID. Or she won't be around much longer." The man hoists up Ulitimia up on his shoulder and looks coldly at Riku.

"RIKU! IT'S YOU ISN'T IT?!" Kairi screams. The man chuckles.

"Nice job, Kairi. I knew you'd be able to recognize me." He smiles broadly at her, and then focuses back on Riku.

"It's been four years since I last saw Kairi, around the same time I lost my eye. You wanna know why?" The older Riku smirks. Riku backs away a single step.

"... Sora.... DESTROYED her." The older Riku grins at the shocked Sora before rushing forward and slamming Riku to the floor.

"And I'm not called Riku anymore.. I prefer to be called Ruxik." Ruxik smirks and then notices Riku's angry expression.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!" Riku demands. Ruxik shakes his head.

"You. But I'm only the last one. The last one of us alive." He rapidly slashes at Riku and Riku dodges, but then the tip of Ultimia's blade slams into Riku's wrist, and shatters it.

"GRR!!!" Riku snarls in pain but then takes a single step back. Ruxik smirks, assured that victory was his. Riku keeps his arm limp, as if he couldn't move because of all the pain. Meanwhile his eyes flashed around on the ground, looking for an opening.

"Too bad. I really thought that-" Riku suddenly rushes forward and slams his Way To The Dawn into the lock on the man's chest. They all hear a loud CLICK as the lock closes.

"... Not bad... not bad at all." Ruxik comments. Riku breathes heavily, exhausted, while Ruxik didn't even break a sweat.

"Th-Thanks." Riku pulls the blade free and winces as he heals his wrist.

"Three questions."

"What?"

"You get three questions, not one, not four, three." Ruxik holds up three fingers.

"Alright then. ... Why do you have Ulitmia?" Riku asks.

"I'm the Keyblade Master, I have every right to it." Ruxik says sadly.

"Huh? But SORA'S Keyblade Master!" Kairi says.

"... Not when I came from. He's long gone." Ruxik says coldly, dark pain flashing in his mismatched eyes.

".... What happens to Kairi?" Riku asks.

"Keyxs. He kills her." Ruxik says, glaring directly at Sora.

"Me? I would NEVER-"

"Sure. You say that now. Well, I didn't say SORA, I SAID Keyxs."

"..... What happens to us?" Riku asks finally.

"... Riku, you end up being the last one left. Kairi and Sora both died when I was seventeen. And that's the end of your questions." Ruxik stands up.

"WAIT! I want to know more!" Riku demands.

".... Then wait for it to happen. Sora!" Sora flinches as Ruxik suddenly calls his name.

"Yes?"

"... Your greatest strength is your friends right?" He asks softly.

"Yeah. My friends are my power, the same as they've always been. They've always given me the strength to keep going, no matter what!" Sora says proudly.

"... Your love for your friends...... ends up being your downfall." Ruxik says and then the lock on his chest flashes.

"Time to go." Ruxik says and then his body begins to flash a violent series of whites and blacks. He vanishes.

"WAIT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! HEY!!" Sora screams, but the man was gone.

"... Seventeen..." Riku realizes in horror that he only had a few more weeks until turning seventeen. He stares at his friends.

".... Riku... the Keyblade Master?" Sora asks.

"No. I won't accept it. I'm not strong enough. You keep it, Sora." Riku says, determined not to allow Ruxik's warnings get to him.

_**.... Maybe... it really will end this time**._ That was the thought, the one neither of them had the courage to say.


	27. Dark Shadows and a New Comrade

**I realize I'm messed up.**

**Disclaimers: KH is not mine.**

**And you lot are gonna hate me... very very soon... **

**just giving a heads up.**

**X x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x X**

Disney Castle

"What the hell was that?!" Axel demands.

"... The first Keyhole." Ventus says solemnly.

"... Yes, I had no idea that the Keyblade Master himself would take that responsibility." Aqua says to King Mickey.

"Golly, that's the first time I've ever seen one!" King Mickey muses, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Wait! He said that he was ME! And that he was Keyblade Master! What's going on?!" Riku demands, and stands up. His face was flushed from the battle against Ruxik, and he couldn't stand without shaking slightly.

"We believe that Sora, or another one of your friends, will soon become a dark force. Something that once destroyed a large portion of the worlds, without effort." Aqua tells him.

"What? Sora turn to Darkness? You got him confused for somebody else! RIKU was the one who did that!" Haru scoffs. He had arrived in time to see the battle between Ruxik and Riku, and had also realized that Ruxik had been an older version of Riku.

"Long ago, there were four Keyblade Masters." Aqua begins.

"Huh?" They all stop arguing and listen.

"One of Never-ending Darkness."

"One of Eternal Light."

"One of Twilight's Dusk."

"And one of Memory's Harmony."

"Each were powerful beyond compare, but one wished for more. He betrayed the Keyblade and took Darkness as his power." Ventus says softly.

"He became invincible, and the other three warriors died trying to destroy the comrade that had betrayed them. The final one, the one of Memory, vowed that they would return, and cursed the Master Keyblade that the traitor had wielded."

"HUH?! It's cursed?!" Riku says, surprised.

"All who wield it... are cursed, cursed to the misery that the four Keybladers felt so long ago. There is no escape. And now, once again, this legend is repeating." King Mickey finishes.

"So.... You're saying, that this story's repeating itself? That doesn't make sense!" Haru snaps.

"... That is supposed to be the reason, but we actually have no proof. Beyond Sora, that is." Aqua says softly, her blue eyes quietly accusing Sora.

"Me? Why me though?" Sora asks.

"We have no idea. The Counsel may know." Ventus says calmly.

"WHAT COUNSEL?! LOOK! JUST TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON!" Riku yells.

"... Hmm.. You're pretty impatient." Aqua comments.

"GAH!! You two are no help at all! JUST TELL US WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO! WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GO!!" Riku demands.

"..... Hallow Bastion." Sora suddenly says.

"..What?" Everyone turns to him.

"... Um.... I think we should go to Hallow Bastion!" Sora says, more firmly.

"Why?" Riku asks, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Cause! Think about it! We came here, and here's where the Cornerstone is, and it has a lotta light in it, right?" Sora asks.

"Go on." Axel says.

"THEN! We go to places where our Memories are really strong, and places were there used to be a lot of darkness! Hallow Bastion, where I fought Ansem through Riku." Sora says, finishing.

"..... That's not actually that bad of an idea." Axel comments.

"Really? It just came to me!" Sora says proudly.

"... Came to you?" Ventus mutters to himself.

"Well, we'll have to join you for your quest, Riku. We need to keep an eye on you." Aqua says.

".. You mean, keep an eye on SORA. Who's THE KEYBLADE MASTER." Riku snaps.

"... Whatever helps you sleep at night, Riku boy." Ventus rolls his eyes, and then bows respectfully to King Mickey.

"Don't be strangers, if ya need help, gimme a call!" Mickey says.

"We will!" The newly formed group heads down the stairs, bickering all the while.

"....... Sora..." King Mickey says to himself, his large ears drooping as he begins to slump back in his Throne.

"Whatcha really thinkin'? What's gonna happen to ya?" He says to the sky.

".. My Lord." A soft voice says.

"... Hello there, Master Akira. It's been a while." King Mickey greets his new guest.

"I could not greet you properly with the others there. Fare tidings, my King." The cloaked man bows his head.

"Fair tidings? ... No... We got a real big problem!" king Mickey says sadly.

".. The current Master Key Wielder? I assure you, that we on the Clan's Counsel are hard at work." The man says softly.

"... You couldn't stop Riku when HE turned to Darkness. Is Sora any different?" King Mickey demands.

"....... Sora might not be any different. As the Keyhole of Light's Bane said, Sora's love for his friends may prove to be his downfall. Is Sora willing to sacrifice his friends, to save himself? If so, then he is not worthy of wielding the Master Key. If not, then he will turn into the Dark Warrior. There is no other road for him." the figure says.

"There's always a third road. The road to the Dawn." King Mickey says, a determined light in his eyes.

"Hmph. Perhaps. Remember; there is another Counsel also hard at work, to make sure Sora loses his light. The Drives will not be enough to protect him."

"And Riku? What's gonna happen to him? What did Gaia see?" King Mickey asks.

".... She's seen.... another person. Someone else who could become a Shadow Lord." The figure says.

"...Someone else? Who?" King Mickey asks, standing up in surprise.

".... Someone.... who is already an imitation of someone else." The figure says, blue gold eyes shining in the darkness of his shadowy figure.

"..... Roxas?"

"Perhaps. She could not see the whole vision."

"I see..... Then we gotta protect the kids as much as we-" King Mickey pauses, as the figure holds up a single finger.

"Let this play out. This may work to the Counsel's Advantage, my Lord." the man says.

"..... But-" King Mickey protests.

"Please. We must see which one of them has the Shadow's power. My Lord, I know how much you care for the children but.... there are some things you cannot control. This is one of them." The figure vanishes, in a swirling cloud of golden feathers.

"....I'll try anyway!"

Unknown Location

".... UGHH!!" Xion winces as Saix's Lunatic Claymore smashes into her free hand. Bones crack violently as he unmercifully batters her around. Larxene, Marluxia, and Namine all watch quietly.

"MMPH!" Xion screams in pain as Saix savagely tears her arm out of its socket.

"Geez... He's not that bad of a fighter, but I wouldn't want to piss him off." Larxene comments.

"Indeed... Namine, count yourself lucky that YOU are not the one facing him." Marluxia says, a dark smile on his lips.

".... Xion..." Namine gently rubs her mended fingers, and stares in horror as Saix attacks Xion again.

"Ahh!" Xion tumbles like a ragdoll from Saix's vicious attack, and does not move. She breathes heavily and coughs up some blood, but can only twitch her fingers as she tries to bring her Keyblade back into her palm.

"...Pathetic." Saix steps on her outstretched hand, crunching bones. Xion screams soundlessly as Saix picks up the Keyblade. It flashes and reappears in Xion's hand.

".... Hmm... How someone like you can wield a Keyblade, is actually quite pathetic. On your knees, PUPPET." Saix snarls.

"...Not..." Xion coughs again.

"Pardon? Couldn't quite hear you." Saix says, curling his lips into a cold smile.

"I'm... not.. a... puppet..." Xion snarls out at him, her eyes flashing darkly.

"... Oh really?" Saix grabs her dislocated arms, and shakes her violently. Xion screams again, her face turning ghostly pale as a series of pops signal more bones sliding out of place.

".... Whatever helps you sleep at night... PUPPET." Saix drops her, listening with satisfaction as another bone snaps as she hits the floor. She screams, her eyes streaming with unfallen tears.

"Do not heal it. Let it feel its just reward for disobedience." Saix says to Marluxia, kicking at the helpless girl. Xion whimpers as Saix steps on her broken hand again, to leave the room.

"Namine." Marluxia says softly. Namine flinches.

"If you even THINK of healing Xion, well, there's always more bones we can break." Larxene says savagely. Namine nods, and runs over to help Xion up.

"...Damn... them...." Xion whispers to her.

"I know. It's going to be okay now... I've got an Ether up in our room. I can help." Namine whispers back.

"... No... for you." Xion coughs violently again and snarls at the other Organization members as they laugh at her pain.

".... Xion..." Namine says softly, tears tumbling from her blue eyes.

"... I'll.... kill... all... of... them..." Xion snarls. Namine carefully walks her to the hallway, Xion's weight almost too much for her. Xion tries to push her away, to try to walk by herself. She snarls in pain as another small pop echoes throughout the vacant hall.

"Xion, don't mo-" Namine freezes, as Luxord appears next to her. His cold eyes survey the two girls.

"... What happened?" He asks.

".... Saix .... was um, testing Xion." Namine says, her eyes flashing in anger.

".... Give her to me. You cannot possibly carry her." Luxord very gently picks up Xion. She still give a small yelp as he places her injured arm around his neck.

"Your friends may soon be here." Luxord says.

"... Our friends?" Xion says angrily. Luxord smiles.

"You have one, one here beside you. I'll no longer be silent. It's time to even up the playing field for you two." Luxord grins, his eyes flashing excitedly.


	28. Returning to Twilight Town

**Has anyone noticed I keep updating this, but not my other fics?**

**Sorry bout that, I'll work on it..**

**Just that ideas keep popping into my head about this, as shown waaaay at the bottom.**

**Enjoy!**

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x**

**Gummy ship**

"You sure?" Axel asks.

"YES ALREADY! Hallow Bastion! Now move and let me drive!" Sora snaps.

"Oh no ya don't! I'm gonna drive, last time we crashed!" Donald says, and takes over.

"OH COME ON! That was a year ago! A YEAR!!" Sora complains.

"Sorry Sora, but I think we gotta listen to Donald on this one." Goofy says.

"... Still not fair.." Sora mutters.

"Look, how long is this gonna take? I know Gummy Ships are better now... but... I'M STILL BORED!!" Ventus complains.

"LOOK STOWAWAY! EITHER YOU SHUT UP OR I'LL STICK YOU IN THE BATHROOM!" Riku snarls.

"... Whoa, you got a bathroom? Where is it?" Ventus asks.

"... Third door on the left." Donald points and Ventus makes a bee line for it.

"......................" Riku glares at Roxas.

"What?!" Roxas asks, confused at Riku's expression.

"DAMMIT! Why do all of Sora's lookalikes piss me off?!" Riku snarls and lies down on the floor, muttering darkly to himself.

"Is he always like this?" Aqua asks Kairi.

"No. Sometimes he's worse." Kairi laughs.

"......... Why don't we stop here?" Sora suggests, pointing out the window at Twilight Town.

"Huh? How'd...?" Axel looks out the window, confused. He had been sure that they were almost to Radiant Gardens, but how did they end up near Twilight Town?

"WHY?!" Riku sits up, snarling.

".... I'm hungry! Come on, we don't have any food! Let's go stack up!" Sora says, grinning slightly.

"... Don't you mean stock up?" Donald asks.

"... That!"

"FINE!!! Geez!" Riku lies back down.

"... Cool , I won!" Sora cheers.

**Twilight Town**

"... Now what?" Aqua asks.

"We split up, and go find some food for the ship. We meet back here at sunset." Roxas says.

".... Kay, we get to be with Riku." Ventus puts an arm around Riku's neck.

"Right buddy?!" Ventus says, shaking Riku around a little.

"LET GO! I'll stick with Kairi and Sora, thank you very much!" Riku shakes him off, and calmly walks over to his friends.

"Geez, he's got problems. Shall we trail him?" Ventus says to Aqua.

"Do we have a choice? That's our job." Aqua and Ventus start to follow them.

"... Hey... Isn't Twilight Town where the second Master Keyhole is?" Ventus mutters softly to Aqua.

"Yes. Do you think Sora knew and did this on purpose?" She says softly.

"I dunno... But... I think we better keep an eye on the kid... He's freakin' me out." Ventus shudders.

"... Perhaps... As Ruxik was able to transport from the plane of Time itself, something inside Sora is as well." Aqua says darkly.

".... Keyxs?" Ventus asks, accidently saying it loudly.

"Who?" Riku asks. The group had stopped and were listening to the duo talk amongst themselves.

".... Uhh... Nobody! Let's go get that food!" Ventus says, covering up his mistake by laughing and rushing Riku forward to pick the snacks. Riku swears and shoves Ventus.

"... That idiot." Aqua mutters to herself.

**Base of The Clock Tower**

"..... Geez! What's takin' them so long?!" Demyx complains, strumming his sitar.

".... If you stop playing that damn thing, I'LL TELL YOU!" Haru snarls, sick of Demyx's playing.

"That's just plain rude!"

"I DON'T CARE! GIMME THAT THING! I'M GONNA BREAK IT!"

"AXXXEEEEL!! He's trying to break Arpeggio!" Demyx and Haru rapidly get into a fist fight over the sitar.

"... Hey Roxas." Axel says.

"What?"

"..... You remember last time we were here? With Xion?" Axel asks, a wistful smile on his face.

"Yup." they both remember, when Roxas had begun to lose himself, and Xion had started to take Sora's memories from him. They sigh.

"Man... I really want her back...." Axel says, stretching.

"Oh really? Why?" Roxas says, teasing glitter in his eyes.

"Isn't it obvious? I want some sea salt ice cream." Axel says, smirking.

"Just go get some!" Roxas says, shoving him.

"Hey! I'm not gonna til we get her back!" Axel shoves him back and they both laugh.

"One last sunset, huh?" Roxas asks.

"Yup. One last one."

**Unknown Location**

"We're running out of time, here!" A boy complains.

"Why don't you shut up Orpheus! Go play your guitar thing!" A girl snarls.

"IT'S A FUCKING LUTE!"

"WHATEVER! I DON'T FREAKIN' CARE!" The girl shouts.

"Patience, little ones." A soft voice says.

"Yes my Lord, but how much longer?! And haven't we already got someone to play Shadow Lord?" the boy asks.

"... Do not speak to me in such a tone, BOY." The man threatens with a dark tone in his own voice. The boy freezes, and apologizes.

"Good things come to those who wait, correct?" Another man says, holding a small crystal up to the dim light of the round room where a group of figures stood in attendance.

"We're not exactly the good guys, you know." A young boy says darkly. He holds a giant hammer in one small hand, although the weight of it was causing the chair in which he resided in quiver from the effort of keeping itself standing.

"True, brother. How much has been done, my Lord?" Another young voice asks, this time belonging to a girl who seemed no older than six years of age. Small clusters of Heartless surround her own throne, speaking in an odd hissing language similiar to flames. She says something sharply to one as it approaches the first man's chair. It backs away immediately, shaking and hissing softly.

".... The Keyblade Master is practically our pawn." A woman laughs, her icy voice seeming to echo in the dark hall. Her cold grin is apparent to everyone present.

"And what about that other one? The one I pointed out." Another boy asks, his golden eyes gleaming in the darkness. His dark throne, similar to the ones the other figures were gathered on, was as tall as the first man's throne. They were equal.

"Patience, Master Vanitas. All in time." The man says. 'Vanitas' snarls quietly under his breath, as a single Shadow Heartless makes the mistake of approaching his black marble throne. He moves rapidly, snatching it from the ground, and tearing it apart in a shower of dark blood, in a matter of seconds.

"Gross... Look, you splattered my wings, Master!" The first girl says, and shakes the dark raven wings attached to her exposed back. They glow a deep black, and vanish into wing shaped tattoos inked onto the pale skin.

"I don't like leaving this to chance! I WANT A GUARANTEE!" Vanitas snarls, his eyes beginning to turn into a deep shade of blood red.

".... Master... I implore you, do not make me act." The man warns, his eyes beginning to shine into an obsidian color. Vanitas scoffs, and sits back down.

"... I want my revenge. The Keyblade Master, and the Key Of Faith will be my pawns. Or ELSE." The boy commands, obviously one of the ones in charge. The man chuckles. Everyone else flinches, from the oldest man to the youngest child. The first girl tenses, her arms gripping the arm rests on her chair, waiting for a fight.

"All in time, my Master. Sora, and your little friend shall both be ours." Vanitas smiles. Everyone sighs quietly to themselves, and relax.

"Good. Then I'll finally destroy it; the thing that has plagued me for the last 15 years, Apprentice Keiran."

"Kingdom Hearts." Keiran says softly, his pair of icy blue and deep golden eyes gleaming.


	29. Sora's Choice

**This took forever to write...**

**hence the crappyness.**

**Enjoy.**

**X x x x x x x x x x xx X**

**Twilight Town**

Flashback

_"So you mean...I'm like a part of him?" A soft voice asks. He knew who it belonged to, but why couldn't he see the face? _

_"When his memories were scattered, some of them found their way inside you. Now, Sora has been put to sleep so that we can piece together his memory. Except..." Riku pauses._

"_You can't, because part of it is inside of me. That means... he can't wake up." The girl finishes, smiling sadly._

"_Yeah. You got it. But, if you go with me to Sora right now, we could give the memories inside you back to him." Riku offers. _

"_So, do you hate me for taking your friend away from you?" She asks, her blue eyes, just like his, clouding slightly with loneliness and misery._

"_Nah. I guess...I'm just sad." Riku admits, and manages to put a smile on his face._

"_I'm sorry, but...I can't go with you. It's my friends--they need me. And I need them, too." She says softly. Riku places a hand on her shoulder to her surprise._

"_Maybe...you should take some time and think about it. Figure out who really needs you more. And where you belong." He suggests, and then winces as he thinks about what he had just said. Wasn't that he had told himself when he looked for Kairi?_

"_How will I know where I belong, truly? I'm not sure I can promise you I'll come up with the right answer." she says, hidden under her hood. Riku hated the sight of it, because he wanted to see the reminder of his friend. What was her name again? _

"_Well, the answer you come up with can't just be right for you. It has to be one that works best for everybody, you and your friends and everyone else." he says to her._

End Flashback

"Riku!" Sora shakes his shoulder.

"Huh?" Riku looks around. Hadn't he been talking to Xion?

"... You're kinda been out of it, Riku." Sora says, concern in his eyes. Riku shakes his head.

"Nah. I'm fine." He says, and then looks down at his hand. What if...? Riku mouths the word Keyblade to himself, and then shakes his head again. He wasn't the Keyblade Master. Sora was.

"Master. Is this them?" A soft voice asks. Riku turns around, a small hooded figure stands alone in the middle of the was wearing a long white cloak, the throat and wrists covered in small silver chains. It looked like a member of Organization XIII. It listens and then tilts its head. It nods.

"Yes Master." It says aloud and then rushes at Riku.

"AH!" Riku tumbles to the ground as the figure knocks him to the floor.

"Catch me if you can, Keyblade Master." The figure says to him and starts running.

"HEY!" Riku yells and runs after the figure. The figure was fast!

"WAIT UP!" Sora and the others rush after him.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" Riku demands to the figure. It pauses.

"... A friend. " It says, and removes the white hood.

"N-Namine?!" The girl grins at him, and then keeps running. She grabs hold of the tram going through the streets and climbs on top of the roof. With a smug smirk on her face, she blows a kiss to Riku. She waves good bye.

"OH NO YOU DON'T!!!" Riku grabs a skateboard.

"HEY! That's mine!" A boy protests.

"Too bad! It's mine now!" Riku goes faster, trying to catch up to the tram. As he manages to skate up to it, just a few steps behind, the lookalike smiles.

"Wow, isn't this your first time skating?" She asks.

"Yeah! NOW GET DOWN!" He demands. She raises an eyebrow.

"No thanks, I still want to play." Namine says, and then notices something coming up. she grins michevously at him.

"... Good bye, Keyblade Master!" She says, the chain at her right wrist unraveling and pooling into her hand. She spins it in the air for a moment, before shooting it at a building and pulling herself up onto it.

"HEY! NAMINE!!!" Riku screams, and flips off the board. He chases after her on foot.

"Not good." She says, as she reaches the Clock Tower. Axel stands up.

"Namine?" He asks.

"No way!" Roxas and Haru stand up, summoning Keyblades.

"Uh oh." She says, scared. She starts to shake.

"Enough, you're scaring my apprentice." A cold voice says, from behind them.

"WHOA!" Axel flinches as the man in armor seems to appear from nowhere.

"Namie, you've done well." The man says softly. The girl smiles.

"Thank you, Master." She says, bowing her head respectfully.

"SAY WHAT?!" Axel says, shocked.

"Master?" Roxas repeats. The girl nods.

"Namine!" Riku says, skating up. His friends, following on foot, catch up.

"Master, isn't he -" The girl starts to say.

"Namie." the man warns. She nods, and retreats to the shadows. The man turns to the group in front of him, ignoring Axel and Roxas. The man removes the long white cloak and stares at them in body armor, streaked in black and white.

"...... Hm.... Let's see how good you are, Keyblade Master." The man says, touching his left shoulder armor. The armor vanishes, revealing a familiar face.

"S-Sora?" Riku asks. The man raises an eyebrow.

"Sure. If that's what you want to call me." The older version of Sora says, blue eyes glittering. His light brown hair had darkened, and the wise look in his eyes showed that he had seen many things, many things he wanted to forget.

"........ He has no Keyblade." Kairi notices. The man nods, and smiles faintly.

"Hi Kairi. It's been a while." He says, and then shakes his head.

"... Since he killed you, I mean." The older Sora turns his eyes to the younger version of himself, and grimaces.

"Huh?" Sora says, confused. His older self just shakes his head.

"... You look so innocent... but...." The soft blue eyes darken and he charges forward.

"YOU took them away, my FAMILY." The man snarls, grabbing Sora by the throat. Sora gags, and claws at the man's hands to try to make him let go. The man just looks grimly at Sora, his hands protected by full arm gauntlets. His boots were made of heavy metal, and so were his gloves.

"SORA!" Kairi grabs at the man's hands, but he ignores her, focusing on strangling Sora to death. Sora starts to turn blue, and keeps making gagging noises and struggling.

"LET HIM GO!" Riku snarls, summoning his Way To The Dawn.

"Namie. You know what to do." The man says. Namie nods.

"Y-Yes." She tries to summon something, but all it does is spark in her hands.

"... Of all the times.... Never mind, I'll do it." The man says, his lips curling into a dark grin. He slams Sora to the ground, and places his foot on his throat. Sora gags again, and struggles to lift the heavy metal off of him.

"Sorry, kiddo. This is made of Orichalcum." The older Sora says, referring to his plated armors.

"ORICHALCUM MY ASS!" Riku tackles him.

"GRR!! GET OFF!" The man tosses Riku to the floor, but then Roxas runs up, and smacks the man as hard as he could with Olbivion.

"...." The man goes flying into the glass door of the station, with a muttered cuss, he stands up.

"That the best you got, Roxy?" The man smirks, wiping shattered glass from his armored limbs.

"... ROXAS!" Kairi and Sora yell in unison.

"... Huh? What?" Roxas asks, but the man begins to laugh bitterly.

"Shoulda figured.... I haven't been called that in 3 years. I actually prefer Roas now." The man says, prounancing it Row-ask.

"Huh?! SO THAT'S ME?!" Roxas says in shock.

"Yup." Roas rushes forward and an ornate padlock with the design of a Nobody symbol appears on his chest. Its small chains wrap around his arms and legs, then attach themselves onto the Clock Tower itself.

"... shit... Looks like the Lock wants you guys to win... Whatta pain.." Roas says darkly, tugging at one of the silver chains. He smirks.

"... Not if I can help it. I ain't losing to you brats. Especially not with Namie here." The man says, confident.

"Huh? Namie?" Roxas asks.

"Man... What a zombie! You really need to learn manners... You defeat me; I spill. That's how it works." Roas says, shaking his head mockingly.

"Oh yeah?! THEN I'M GONNA POUND YOU!" Roxas and Riku say in unison. Roas's eyes flash darkly as he grips the chains again.

"Trust me... You need a hundred more years of training to fight me. But...." the man says and waves his hands. A barricade of Samurai Nobodies appear, blocking the others from helping Roxas and Riku.

"Let's make this interesting, shall we?" Roas says, with a grin. The Samurais step forward as Axel tries to step forward.

"Man... Time flies." Roas remarks as he notices Axel, clenching his hand into a fist, waiting for Riku or Roxas to attack him.

"NOW!" Riku rushes forward and tries to strike at the man, but he easily dodges it, and trips Riku.

"HEY!!" Roxas runs forward and then Roas just rolls his eyes, and dodges the blow.

"... You guys aren't very good at this, are you?" Roas says sarcastically.

"SHUT UP!" Roxas and Riku snarl in unison.

"Geez.... I don't even _LIKE_ Ruxik that much.... Man... This is such a pain...." Roas complains. He sighs.

".... M-Master!" The girl cries out.

".... I got thi-" Roas screams, as the chains wrap themselves around his throat.

"what the?!"

"... I GOT IT! I WON'T TOUCH THE KID!! GEEZ!!" Roas snarls, and the chains loosen slightly. Riku suddenly runs forward and Roxas gets the picture.

"Seal the Keyhole!" They both shout to their Keyblades. All three blades flash with golden light, and fire a small beam into the giant lock.

"... This is total bull...." Roas says, dropping to the ground. His apprentice runs forward, helping him up.

"Are you alright, Master?" she asks. He nods.

"Sure. Stupid... I forgot that the Keyhole wouldn't like our little mission." Roas says, glaring at Sora.

"Huh?" The Samurais vanish.

"We only came here, to kill YOU, Sora boy." Roas says with a dark glitter in his blue eyes.

"HUH?! Why?!" Roxas demands.

"...... Man.... Three questions, no more, no less. Mind hurrying up? I think I left the toaster on or something." Roas says, sarcastically.

"... If you're me, where are your Keyblades?" Roxas asks.

".... Are you serious? Wasting a question like that... Fine. I gave them up, I don't fight with them anymore. ... well, more like they rejected me, because I don't want to use a weapon that killed my best friend. Anything else?" Roas snarls, pain flashing in his eyes.

"... Where's Namine and Xion?!" Roxas demands.

"... Finally! We're getting somewhere! They're at Serene Night, place near Castle Oblivion. By near, I mean it's on the same plane of existence." Roas says.

"... How do we get there?" Riku asks.

"... Gummy ship." Roas says, looking at them as if it was obvious.

"I MEANT THE LOCATION." Riku snarls.

"Two people know; Sora boy over there, and maybe Yen Sid. Kay, I'm done here." Roas snaps his fingers. His face becomes confused when whatever power he was trying to use failed.

"... Master, you were defeated by BOTH Roxas and Riku. You've only answered Roxas's questions so far." The girl says.

"Fine. Anything else?" Roas snaps, running his hands through his shortly cropped brown hair.

"... what's happening to Sora?" Kairi asks.

"Answer her question." Roxas says.

"....He's going to become something. Something bad, with a lot of power." Roas says darkly.

"....... That doesn't really help!" Roxas snaps.

".... Riku, you got two. If you don't mind, I'd like to report my failure to the counsel, before Ruxik chews me out." Roas rolls his eyes.

".... Is there any way to stop Sora from transforming into whatever it is?" Riku asks.

"... Sure."

"Really?!"

"Yup. That was your last question by the way." Roas says with a wicked grin.

"HEY! That's not fair! " Riku yells.

"Sorry kid, life ain't fair. And death ain't as nice either. Well, see ya. DEFINATELY don't wanna be ya." Roas snaps his fingers and Namie vanishes into a cloud of gray smoke.

"and one more thing..... Sora, there's one way to stop you for sure." Roas says behind his shoulder.

"What?!" Sora asks.

"... Just die." He vanishes.

".... Die?" Sora says, and suddenly hears a soft coaxing voice telling him:

_**No matter who you are, no matter where you run, no matter how far you go, I'll always be you. And you'll always be me. Sora.... won't you give in? Give in... to my darkness. You want the power to protect them, don't you? Then submit to me. Give me your light, and I'll give you my darkness. Then you can have exactly what you've always desired.**_

"P-Power..." Sora says to himself, wondering what the man had meant.

_**Neverending power. You'll finally have the strength to protect them, your beloved friends.**_

"P-Protect them.." Sora repeats.

"Sora?" Kairi asks.

_**You never had the strength to find them, never had the strength to save them. Kairi... was found by Riku, correct?**_

"... Yeah... Riku did find her."

"Sora! Sora! Wake up!" Riku says, shaking his friend. Sora's eyes begin to dull and change colors.

_**You want stength?**_

".... Yes."

"SORA! WAKE UP!!" Axel yells, directly in Sora's ear. Sora ignores him.

_**Then awaken.**_

"Huh?" Sora looks around.

"What... happened?"

Uknown Location

A small room, with numerous white thrones each with a single figure in it. Several hold children, of roughly 6 to 8 years old. Each one carries a small weapon, whether it be the glowing dagger in the smallest girl's hand, to the giant axe on the oldest boy's back. All are dressed in full length cloaks, black with crests on the shoulders. All have their hoods up.

"So he's made contact with the Keyblade Master?!" A man snarls.

"I told you Brayden, CONTROL YOURSELF!" A girl snaps at him.

"Make me Sovreigna! We're about to lose the Keyblade Master!" Brayden says back.

"We can't interfere. You know that." A girl says, her soft voice carrying throughout the room.

"...Gaia... What have you seen?" Another man asks.

"Nothing, Brother Raine. Nothing at all." Gaia says.

"... Wait! Why can't we interefere?! Our freakin' job's to PROTECT THE KEYBLADE MASTER! That's why we trusted him with the Drives in the first place!" Brayden demands.

"Akira said, Brayden! We can't disobey Akira!" One of the smallest girls says, twirling a silver dagger around each of her index fingers. They're in the shape of white feathers, and glow bizarrely.

".... Final, what do you know? You've been in contact with the Keyblade Master for several months now." Raine says.

"... Well... He wants to protect his friends. That's his biggest weak point." The little girl says, frowning.

"Well whatever! We'll kick those Heartless's butts all the way back to the Dark Realm, no problem!" One of the boys says, grinning and gripping the handle of a giant hammer happily.

".... Phoebus. We can't take chances. I say to let the Drives focus on saving Sora. They're the ones most connected to him." The one on the highest throne says.

"Grr... Fine.. Akira." Brayden says, and Phoebus nods.

"What about Anti?" a girl asks, her red crest on her arm glowing slightly.

".... Destroy her. Along with the other traitorous Black Hearts. Destroy all of the Dark Assembly. Do not leave even the youngest of the members alive. We cannot risk their return, not now. Not after all we've done." Akira says coldly, his face hidden behind the hood.

"Grr..." Brayden snarls visciously under his breath.

"Yes, Master Akira!" Five children say in unison and vanish.

"Do you think this wise? Brother?" Another girl asks.

"... Reiotta, we have no choice. Either Sora dies sane, or he dies a monster. He has no other options." Akira says.

"....Vexen... has awakened." Gaia suddenly says.

"What?! He wasn't supposed to yet!" A man protests.

"Virgil. Fotios. You know what to do." Akira says.

"Yes sir. We'll get right on it."

"What about us?" Reiotta asks.

"...... Take care of the Four Wielders. They might finally awaken." Akira vanishes.

**..... Sora...... He needs us...**

_No! We do not interefere with mortals-_

We were once mortals.... if you'd remember, my old friend.

_**What about the other ones?**_

**We protect them. ALL OF THEM.**


	30. Vexen The Chilly Academic

**You guys rock.**

**Give yourselves a hand, making this little "experiment" have almost 200 reviews!**

**In fact... have some E hugs. *hugs***

**kay, done there. **

**Yes, for those wondering, I DID have sugar.**

**And there'll be more chapters in this. **

**We're not done. And why are you reading this when you could be reading the chapter?!**

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x X **

_Flashback_

_"....." He was working quietly, just as he had always had._

_"Fascinating. Such simple components..." Vexen says to himself._

_".... Vexen." A soft voice calls out._

_"Hmm?" He turns around. It was..._

_"Terra?" He asks. The boy nods._

_"It is time for you to wake up, comrade." the boy says, his voice completely different._

_"Excuse me? Xemnas?" Vexen asks._

_"I won't say it again, Number IV. Awaken. We have need of your abilities." Terra says coldly, his eyes flashing a deep golden color._

_"Y-Yes, Superior. Right away." Vexen says, bowing._

_".... and Vexen?" Terra asks._

_"Yes?"_

_".... Do not betray us. Or..." Terra snaps his fingers. Axel appears, grinning._

_"Or I get to play with you again, got it memorized?" Axel smirks, summoning his Eternal Flame chakrams. Vexen's eyes widen in horror. Axel takes a single step forward, spinning his chakrams._

_"AXEL NO!" Vexen opens his eyes, to the noise of shattering glass. He sits up._

_"... Where..?"_

_End Flashback_

"How is the progress, Lord Vexen?" Saix asks as Vexen examines a small test tube.

"These materials.... are rather extraordinary. Where ever did you get them?" He asks, setting the tube carefully down in the test tube rack.

"It seems that we had use for them. What are you working on now, ?" Saix asks again, examining a series of small pod like structures in the middle of the room.

"Please be careful! These are still very delicate!" Vexen snaps.

"... She?" Saix asks, narrowing his golden eyes at the pod.

"The data you gave me... on Namine... I have developed a theory on her." Vexen says, his eyes shining excitedly at his work.

"Theory?" Vexen nods, and opens a file on the table. There was various pictures of Kairi practicing with her Destiny Place Keyblade, and with Roxas training with his own Oblivion and Oathkeeper.

"... Yes, I understand. But what does this have to do with the Replication program?" Saix asks, flipping through the notes.

"If I'm not I'm not mistaken, Kairi has the ability to wield a Keyblade, correct?" Vexen states.

"Yes."

"... Then why wouldn't Namine? Roxas was able to, as Sora's Nobody. Why wouldn't Namine have the same ability, perhaps as a latent power?" Vexen says, smiling smugly at his own genius.

"... Interesting... Hence... the girl?" Saix nods towards one of the pods, the one seeming to admit a strange soft glow.

"Yes, the girl. She will have all the powers of Namine, merely being several years younger."

"Younger?! Namine can barely wield her own powers, what makes this REPLICA any better?!" Saix snarls out the word "Replica"with hatred.

"... She will be much more dependant on us, as Namine is. Namine will not risk her being injured, and Xion will be sufficiently more willing to... cooperate." Vexen chuckles.

"... To make Namine summon her Keyblade... What should I do?" Saix asks, calming down.

"... Why, put her through sufficient stress, and it should summon to protect its mistress. I do wish to experiment with the two girls, as soon as you're finished with them, No. VII." Vexen says, turning back to his notes.

"And Saix?" Vexen says, as Saix turns to leave.

"Yes, Lord Vexen?" Saix says.

"Try not to break her. I am not fully positive on my theory. I need more data." Vexen says, flipping through and scribbling down notes.

"Of course, Lord Vexen." Saix vanishes.

**Xion and Namine's Room**

"...DAMMIT!" Xion snarls, glaring out the small window that was their only source of light.

"Xion.... I'm really sorry..." Namine says.

"I just feel so helpless.... Sorry." Xion turns back to the window.

"... Do you notice it's always nighttime?" Namine asks.

"Yup... but the moon's always full." Xion says.

".... Do you think Luxord will help us?" Namine says softly.

"I dunno.... But I don't trust any one of those Organization guys. I won't let them hurt you, Namine." Xion promises.

"Haha..." Namine giggles.

"What?"

"I wonder... which one of you said that? Roxas or you?" Namine says, still laughing.

"Huh?" Xion stares at her, completely confused.

"There'll always be a part of you, one that will be him. And there's always a part of him that'll always be you. You can never be apart; you're that close." Namine explains.

"... I'm always with them, even when we're far apart? That doesn't make any sense...." Xion comments, thinking this over.

"You'll always be there... No matter what, you still have that connection. Even if you forget, they'll remember for you, just like you did for them." Namine says, smiling at the friendship between the three friends.

"....I guess... they're... like my family. I count on them, no matter what. So.... Roxas and Axel are like my brothers?" Xion blinks at this, and starts laughing. Namine laughs too, a rare moment of silliness in their prison.

"AXEL IS SUCH AN OLD BROTHER!!" Xion says, tears streaming down her cheeks from laughing so hard.

**Vexen's Laboratory**

"..... Welcome." Vexen says to the figure that had just walked in.

"Lord Vexen." The tall figure bows.

"... What brings you here, my Lord?" Vexen asks, carefully putting down his notes.

"What are these?" The figure asks, motioning to the pods.

".... My Replicas. Are they not precise in every way?" Vexen says, smiling at the pods.

"... They certainly LOOK like them." The figure comments, tapping on the glass of one of the pods.

"My Lord! Please, they need more time to-"

"I'm tired of waiting. And I'm sure HE'S tired too. I need to borrow... lessee... These two." The figure taps two of the pods.

"... No. 4 and No. 5? Why would you need those two?" Vexen asks, looking at him with puzzlement.

"....." The figure smirks.

"Cause. They can't touch these two, if they can help it.... I think a certain arrangement can be made.... What weapons do you think they can wield?" The figure asks.

"What? They'll be able to wield Key-"

"No, they won't." The figure interrupts.

"What?! Explain!" Vexen demands, his eyes flashing with anger.

"Hmmm..... Should I?" The figure taunts, rocking back and forth on his heels.

"THEY ARE PERFECT REPLICATIONS! HOW CAN THEY NOT SUMMON KEYBLADES?!" Vexen yells.

"They simply can't. .... These... THINGS can't summon Keyblades. Out of all 5 of them, only this one even has the ABILITY." The figure taps the first pod.

"... No. 3? That one can?" Vexen says while examining the silent silhouette in the pod. It breathes calmly through a small tube in the thick liquid encasing it.

"Yes.... As you very well know.... I can see just who and what can wield those blades.... You know the reason, Even." The figure says, staring at the small figure. She seemed to be asleep. He wanted to test her, he knew that Saix would not be enough to fully test this girl.

"Of course I do. My Lord, what brings you here?" Vexen asks, saying the honorific while glaring at the boy's turned back with hatred.

".... Why, I just wanted to pay my dear friend Even a visit!" The boy smirks.

".... The truth, my Lord." Vexen demands.

"Well, Sora's on his way. And I think there's someone else on this little playing field, besides the Organization." The boy says, motioning around him.

"What? Playing field?" Vexen questions.

"Oh, this is all a game for them... We're their pawns." The boy says, somewhat cheerfully.

**Unknown Location**

"Oh, this is all a game for them.... We're their pawns." This voice comes from a small orb like crystal in the middle of the room.

"Hahaha, you have no idea, little boy!" a small girl giggles.

"Yup, this game's lots more fun with THESE kind of pieces!" A boy comments. A large tablet like board was on the floor of the room, checkered with black and white tiles. On each tile was a single piece.

"Hmph. Chess.... How "clever". " A woman comments.

"Shut up! This was my best idea! We can keep track of the Keybladers, AND the Organization, without lifting a muscle!" The boy snaps.

"Yes... It IS a good idea.... if not somewhat crude, Adrian." A man says, lifting one of the pieces.

"CRUDE?!"

".... Sweet, it looks like Sora!" An older boy comments as he stares at the life sized piece.

"The King.... The weakest piece, yet most honored. Very wise, Adrian." His sister comments.

"Thank you, Feralis. I thought it was a good idea!" Adrian says smugly.

"... Then.. If Sora's the King for this side, then who's the King on THAT side?" The youngest girl asks, pointing.

"Why Anti! I'm surprised at you... who is the one we most control, on that side?" The man says.

"I don't like riddles, Melanthios!" The girl snaps.

"... It's Xemnas of course."

"And when both Kings fall...." Feralis grins savagely, her red eyes gleaming.

"We shall be able to obtain our goal." Melanthios says, smiling coldly.

"...... But... What will happen to Sora?" Anti asks, her small body trembling.

"... You know what happens, Anti! Sora's gonna go away, and he'll come back on OUR side!" Adrian tells her.

"... Then...What happens to Kairi?" The girl asks.

"Who cares? None of that matters, Anti!" Feralis tells her. Anti remains quiet for a few moments, before running off.

"..... What happens to Sora? And to Riku? If we destroy them, won't we be destroyed too?" Anti murmurs to the small hoard of Heartless following her every footstep.

"........" Anti pauses.

"Sora.... I hope you can run.... Because... Master Kieran will have no mercy on you." Anti says softly to the night sky.


	31. Xaldin The Whirlwind Lancer

**Yup, we're updating today.**

**Sicne I've forgotten to put this: Kh is not mine, hence FANFICTION BEING MY MAIN WEBSITE.**

**This has been real confusing to write, and I hate Xaldin.**

**almost as much as i hate Vexen.**

**anyways, here we go, another chapter on the Organization's doings.**

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx xx x x x x x x x x X**

Flashback

I can't wait anymore....

_"Wake up." A voice demands._

... No... please....

_"WAKE UP." The voice demands again._

Don't... Keyblade... Master......

_"Dilan!" A familar voice commands._

_"... Master?" Dilan/Xaldin opens his eyes and sits up. He was in his room in Master Ansem's Tower. Had the Organization been but a dream?_

_"... Bout time! We've been waiting _ALL _day for you!" Braig snaps._

_".... Braig?" Dilan asks._

_"Come on." __Aeleus says calmly._

_"We've been waiting for you, Dilan.... We're getting rather bored." Ienzo says softly, turning pages in the book he never let go of._

_"...." Xehanort, one of Dilan's fellow apprentices vanishes._

_"Xehanort!" Dilan cals out._

_"Don't bother. Ol' Xehanort's gone, man." Braig says, closing his eyes. He rapidly changes into Xigbar, No. II of the Organization. He grins at Dilan, and winks his remaining eye._

_"This is your wake up call, GET OFF YOUR ASS!" Xigbar snarls, pulling out his Sharpshooters._

_"NO!" _

"....." Xaldin wakes up, and looks around in confusion. He was in some sort of box..... Xaldin's eyes widen in shock as the box shatters, leaving him on a bed of broken glass. He gets up, and looks at the box.

"Ah! Dilan?" He says, looking down behind him. Briefly, he sees himself reflected in the casing of the box. It vanishes rapidly.

"... How bizarre." Xaldin comments, picking up a snapped Lance. He drops it back into the case when he hears a moan.

"..... Maan..... Do I got a hangover or somethin'? Geez...." He hears a raspy voice say.

"Xigbar!" Xaldin says, walking to the case.

".... Greeeeat, we got the psycho maniac here too. Whazzup, Three?" Xigbar mutters, and sits up. Xaldin notices with interest the same phenomenon happens, as Xigbar's reflection vanishes, even though the case was lined with cloth like material.

"....What has happened to us?" Xaldin asks.

"I dunno; Do I LOOK like I would know?" Xigbar says, jumping out of his case.

"You have been reborn." A soft voice says.

"What?!" The two turn. A young man stands in the doorway.

"Hello, my old friends."

_End Flashback_

"...." Xaldin watches as Saix begins to "test" Namine, mercilessly slamming her against his Claymore.

"Geez. Dude pisses me off." Xigbar comments, inspecting his Sharpshooter arrow guns.

"Pity." Xaldin retorts, watching intensely.

"...... Why are we even here? Keeping the seat warm for Superior?" Xigbar gets up from his chair, stretching lazily.

"Silence, you fool. Something is happening." Xaldin says, a cruel smirk on his face.

"Oh whoopee.... Namine getting her butt kicked by.... Whoa." Xigbar blinks in surprise as he watches Namine yell something, and Saix being wrapped in silver chains.

".... That was kinda cool. Now we never need to go to the hardware store." Xigbar comments.

"If you're going to be cracking jokes, perhaps you can be useful... for once." Xaldin says, narrowing his eyes at Xigbar.

"... Your wish is mah command, Xaldy. Whatcha need?" Xigbar asks, glancing at Xaldin while keeping his main attention on the fight between the girls and Saix.

"I need you to go find Sora."

"....... Huh? Don't we ALREADY know where the punk is?" Xigbar says, pointing to a second computer screen.

"Yes. I need you to go keep an eye on him." Xaldin says, noticing with interest Saix had managed to break free from the chains imprisoning him. Saix howls viciously, and grabs Namine by the throat.

"Only got one to spare, remember?" Xigbar laughs, and vanishes.

".......... Why? Why now?" A voice says behind Xaldin.

"Come in." Xaldin says. The owner of the voice, a young boy, walks inside, and takes a seat.

"Any changes in her condition?" He asks.

"... Yes. She's maturing rapidly. And Vexen's experiment?" Xaldin asks.

"A complete failure. It was just luck that No. 2 was able to use Riku's Soul Eater. Only No. 3 has a chance on being a Keyblade Master." The kid says, relaxing in the plush armchair.

"And what do you suggest we do with them?" Xaldin questions.

"Don't know, don't care. But, anyone of you Organization members touch her, I'll be forced to act. Understand?" The boy says, his dark blue eyes narrowing.

"Of course. She shall be your discilpile. Has the Replica spoken yet?" Xaldin says, turning away from the screen to observe the boy.

".... No. She hasn't. What do you expect? She has no memories, and you won't let Namine near No. 3." The boy says, frowning.

"... I shall send Luxord for her, if you wish." Xaldin tells him.

"Good. I need to start working on her as soon as possible." The boy yawns, and stretches.

"Yes, she will be a valuable assest." Xaldin says.

".... You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were bored, Dilan." The boy comments, smirking.

"... My name is-"

"Xaldin, right." the boy corrects himself.

"I am not "bored" as you say." the kid smirks, shrugging.

"I know I am. I can't exactly Corridor of Darkness like the rest of you." He says, running his hands through dark brown hair.

"What about your friends? Do you not like that they are alive?" Xaldin asks.

"...... No. I thought it was better when I thought Ventus and Aqua were gone. It gave me something to fight for. But now...... I'm just a prisoner here, just like those two." The boy motions toward the screen, at the battling girls.

"I warn you; Stay away from Namine and XIV." Xaldin says, his eyes gleaming with an unsaid threat.

"I understand... But.... I will get out of here, and I won't be your TOY for much longer." The boy challenges darkly, his eyes glaring at the man before him. His fingers twitch as he readys to fight.

"We'll see, when Xehanort awakens." Xaldin says, smirking as the boy recoils as he hears the name spoken.

"....." The boy doesn't look at him, getting up and leaving.

"That boy... is more trouble than he's worth." Xaldin comments, typing a few facts into a report for Vexen to analyze.


	32. Xigbar The Freeshooter

**Here it is!**

**What you've all been waiting for!**

**UNCLE XIGGY'S CHAPTER!!!**

**.... what? I'm the only one? ...**

**X x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x X**

Flashback

"....." Xigbar sighs to himself.

_Always gettin' the crappy jobs...._

"..... I wonder what Master's doin'?" He mutters to himself, scanning the heavens for the star that was his old home, Radiant Gardens. He quickly finds it, that single familiar glowing orb that meant home.

"...... That's it. I hate bein' homesick. After this, I'm gonna go back for some Z's." Xigbar says, grinning. He watches the star sadly, knowing exactly what he had done to destroy that world.

End Flashback

"............" Xigbar watches as he starts to find himself in Twilight Town, the last known location of Sora and his little gang of friends. He glances up toward the heavens, knowing that the star was watching too.

**Twilight Town**

"OKAY! That's it! You two! Explain what's going on!" Riku demands, glaring at Ventus and Aqua.

"Sorry, we can't." Ventus says, shrugging.

"The Counsel are the ones you should speak to." Aqua says.

".......... " Sora begins to shake and then quickly shrugs it off.

"C'mon Riku. Let's go." Kairi says, looking around nervously. There was something in the air... something that made her tremble, with a half-forgotten memory.

"Yo, traitors! What's up?" A familiar voice calls out.

"XIGBAR?!" Axel and Roxas summon their weapons, ready for a fight.

"Geez.... I wasn't expecting the welcome wagon, but I didn't think that you'd go all commando on me either." Xigbar says, lifting an eyebrow.

"Hey there." Sora calls out, smiling slightly.

"See? Can't cha be more like this little Spikey here? I trust that you've been a good boy while I've been snoozing, right Sora?" Xigbar grins.

".... He's part of the Organization?" Kairi asks, looking surprised.

"That's right, Princess. No II of the Organization, at your service. Just don't expect me to bow and stuff. Not my cup of tea." Xigbar says, holding his hand out to Kairi. She shakes it and then smiles.

"Umm... Xiggy, what are you doing here?" Demyx asks, clutching his sitar closely in his fear.

".... Uhh... Lessee.... Something about Sora being the big bad Keyblade Master.... Keep an eye on him, though I only got one.... So, I'm gonna need to eye him carefully.... hehehe." Xigbar chuckles.

"You're supposed to keep an eye on Sora?" Ventus repeats, narrowing his eyes at Xigbar. Xigbar notices him and Aqua for the first time.

"GEEZ! Am I finally goin' blind, or is that little Ven? And Miss Aqua?" Xigbar says in surprise.

"... LITTLE?!" Ventus yells.

"... Braig?" Aqua asks. Xigbar grins.

"Nope, that's my Other, devilishly handsome as he was."

"That's Braig." Ventus confirms, still mad about the LITTLE remark.

"..... Hmm... Hey Sora! What's all this stuff I'm hearing on you becoming another Ansem?" Xigbar asks.

"Huh?! Another Ansem?" Riku says, extremely surprised.

".... Ansem? As the one who gathered all the Princesses?" Kairi asks.

"That's right, Princess. Now, be a dear and answer my questions. It could be worth your while... Or rather, Xion and Namine's." Xigbar says, getting comfortable on the steps of the Clock Tower.

"..... You know where they are?!" Sora asks excitedly.

"Course! I just came from there. Man, Saix needs counseling... like NOW. He's been beating up those two since before I woke up from my dirt nap." Xigbar shakes his head.

"WHAT?!" Axel and Roxas snarl. Flames flicker around Axel for a moment, before vanishing.

"... Hmm, maybe I shoulda brought marsh mellows." Xigbar comments, watching Axel getting exceedingly angry and hostile.

"THAT'S IT! I'M GONNA KILL HIM! DON'T YOU TRY AND STOP ME!" Axel snarls, more flames flickering into existence and vanishing in moments.

"..... We've been having some problems." Sora starts nervously.

"No kiddin'. Axel there's about to blow a fuse. Well, at least he'll go out in a blaze of glory." Xigbar comments, smirking slightly.

"No... Not that. He's usually like that." Haru says, glancing at Axel.

"I'm FINE!" Axel snaps, trying to calm down.

"... They told us something is supposed to happen soon, something really bad." Kairi says, frowning slightly at remembering the two's confusing words.

"Whoa whoa whoa. THEY?" Xigbar asks, glancing at Ventus and Aqua.

"No. Us. From.... They came back to warn us." Riku says.

"Uh huh. You guys ain't putting me on, right?" Xigbar says, disbelief obvious on his face.

"It's the truth!" Sora says.

"Hmmm..... And the Keyholes?" Xigbar questions, deciding to go with it for now.

"Well, apparently they're people.... and that the Keyblade Master and Roas came back to warn us about something happening to Sora." Riku concludes.

"...... You realize that I should probably call the crazy farm right now, right?" Xigbar says, laughing.

"You don't believe us?!" Sora says, shocked.

"Kid, your own MOTHER wouldn't believe you! You guys sound freakin' nuts!" Xigbar says, still howling with laughter.

"... Wait, why are we even telling you this?!" Haru demands. He'd been watching quietly, not being involved and waiting for Xigbar to start shooting.

".... Cause. I'm your ticket into the Castle, ain't I?" Xigbar says, giving a confident smirk.

"What?! You'll lead us in?" Sora asks.

".... For a fee." Xigbar stands up, dusting off his long Organization jacket as he stretches. He glances to Sora.

"Well, we don't have too much Munny...." Sora starts.

"I don't really need Munny." Xigbar rejects.

"Well, we can give you something! Maybe something from our island?" Kairi suggests.

"Nah. Not interested in seashells." Xigbar keeps waiting for a more interesting offer.

"... What do YOU want, Xigbar?" Riku demands. Xigbar perks up.

"Finally! I wanna talk to Master Ansem for starters." Xigbar says, a big grin on his face.

"Huh? That's it?" Haru comments.

"Not quite. I ALSO want to be immune from whatever's gonna go down in the Castle. You leave me be, and I'll lead you straight to the girls, and to Terra." Xigbar says, his confidence obvious on his expression.

"Terra's DEAD!" Ventus snaps, pain clouding his eyes.

"Oh really? Then how'd I get this?" Xigbar pulls out a small package and tosses it to Aqua. She opens it and looks at the familiar charm in shock. It was a small green charm, in the shape of a paupo. Identical to the one Ventus wore around his arm and Aqua wore on her hip.

"... He says... 'Ventus, you better be ready for our next fight. I'm not ready to forgive you just yet.' " Xigbar delivers his message and waits.

"... Alive?" Ventus says, pulling the charm from the wrappings around it. He smiles slightly at it, and then turns his gaze back on Xigbar.

"How did you get this?!" He demands angrily.

"Terra gave it to me." Xigbar states again.

"HOW?!" Aqua demands, becoming angry.

"Well, Terra's at the Castle, along with Namine, No.3 and Xion." Xigbar says, yawning as if it didn't interest him.

"Huh? No.3?" Haru asks.

"Whoops, I let the cat outta the bag, didn't I? What's it gonna be? You gonna trust me and let me bring ya to the Castle, or are you gonna stay here?" Xigbar asks, waving his arms to motion the town.

"...Sora?" Riku asks. Sora had been quiet for a while, lost in thought.

"..... I'm in! Where do we go next, Xigbar?" Sora asks, his blue eyes gleaming in anticipation.

"...Now THAT'S what I like to hear."

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x X**

**Well, I gotta say, I'm proud of this chapter.**

**Not as good as the Xion reunion scene way back then, but still!**

**Not bad!**

**You all know what to do, and not just to badger me for more chapters.**


	33. Trapped but Not Helpless

**Alright gang, here's a new chapter.**

**Yes, I update fast. **

**Damn ideas notebook.**

**Anywhos! I have rescued Luxord from Plot-Hole Land!**

**So.... ENJOY!**

**BTW, for a basic idea of something mentioned in this chapter, use Kairi's Keyblade and invert the colors in Paint.**

**I love doing that... and came up with some pretty gnarly blades.**

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x X**

**Unknown Room**

"Hmmm.... So you're supposed to be a Keyblade Master? I'm not impressed." Larxene taunts. The hooded boy glances at her.

"....." He turns away.

_Why is she even here? .... Is she just here to annoy me?_

".... Well? C'mon Keyblade boy!" Larxene says, lightly shocking him with a drawn dagger. She takes off the dark hood around his head, used to keep the boy in his place.

"... What do you want?" Terra says softly. His blue eyes stare at the girl, knowing that he could easily destroy her if he had his full strength.

"Nothing really. I'm bored.... and Saix should be finished playing with Namine right now." Larxene smirks, showing that she'd rather be the one "playing" with the innocent girl. Terra snarls, and Larxene takes a step back in surprise before catching herself.

"Well! You DO have a nasty temper!" Larxene says, grinning.

"Go away. NOW." Terra demands, glaring furiously at her. His arms, chained to the wall, were useless.

"Sure. Don't want our pet Keyblader to get tired." She laughs, and very gently strokes the underside of his chin. He flinches and swears violently.

"GET AWAY! NOW!" He screams, tugging at the full length of the silvery chains connecting him to the wall. He couldn't break them, he couldn't blast them off. He was basically useless.

"What's going to happen?" Larxene asks softly, her blue eyes shining curiously. Terra smirks.

"You're about to die." He growls, smirking at her, knowing she would soon be gone and he'd be free.

"Hmph. Not gonna happen. By the way... The key's over THERE." Larxene points to a small white table in the middle of the room. A tiny key gleams tauntingly in the center of it.

"DAMN YOU!" Terra screams at her, tugging harder.

"See ya tomorrow, Keyblade boy!" Larxene laughs, and vanishes.

"......." Terra screams, a useless and defiant howl.

**Xion and Namine's Room**

".... Did you hear that?" Namine says, listening carefully.

"No... OUCH!" Xion yelps as Namine pulls a small sliver of metal from Xion's bleeding arm. They had been dumped back in their room the moment that Saix had gone berserk, with Marluxia intervening to stop him from killing them.

"... Sorry...." Namine says, and then continues to fix Xion's wounds.

"Hey, you're bleeding pretty bad. Why don't you heal yourself?" Xion asks, yelping again as Namine cures a cut.

"Because. Isn't that what friends are for?" Namine smiles and continues to help.

"You know something? I don't think we're the only ones in this Castle. Maybe there's someone else who needs our help." Xion says, curling her fingers into a fist.

"... You think so? Maybe that scream was..." Namine freezes. Someone was coming!

"Get ready." Xion orders, summoning her True Light's Flight Keyblade in a flash of light.

"..... Okay, Xion. I'm ready." Namine focuses and a gleaming Keyblade appears in her hand. It was in the shape of a small flower, and had silvery chains as the stem of the blade. Chains wrapped around the hilt connected Namine to it, and each seemed to glow idependantly.

Chain of Memories. The shadow of Destiny Place, Kairi's own Keyblade.

"Are you two quite done?" A familiar voice asks.

"Luxord?!" Xion says in surprise.

"Why hello again, Xion, Namine. Time for your escape, my friends." Luxord says, his eyes gleaming.

"YOU'VE LEFT US HERE FOR WEEKS!" Xion screams.

"Hmph. Things are not as they appear, XIV." Luxord says softly. He smirks, obviously knowing something they did not.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Namine asks.

"... Namine, you can summon a Keyblade? So that's why they made her...." Luxord says, examining the Keyblade.

"What?" Namine says, surprised.

"I have been quite busy, destroying several dozens of Vexen's little projects; it shall take them years to duplicate them. And we must hurry, she may need our help." Luxord says, impatiently looking around, scanning for other Organization members.

"She?" Namine asks, looking puzzled.

"Our ace. Our trump card." Luxord says.

".... So someone's come to help?" Xion questions suspiciously.

"Let's go now. The game is on." Luxord says, rapidly healing Namine's wounds. She winces as bones and flesh mend together. He does the same to Xion.

"How do we know we can trust you?" Xion demands, scowling.

"... I am the only friend you have now. The others, may never come." Luxord says softly, not looking at them.

"What? What are you talking about?! Roxas and Axel-" Xion starts to say.

"May already have fallen. I have so much to explain to you, Namine, Xion." Luxord interrupts.

"Fallen?" They ask, twin expressions of confusion on their faces.

"... They may have been destroyed... by the Third Keyhole, the Never-ending Darkness." Luxord says, shuddering at the mere mention of the name.

"But who's that?" Xion asks.

"Someone... who will soon betray the light." Luxord says, his eyes looking toward a specific one of the girls.

_Was it her? .... How could she reject the light, her only salvation? What sort of twisted game is she playing?_ He wonders to himself, her innocentance clear and bright. Luxord dismisses the thought and focuses on getting them out of the Castle, despite his lingering powers.

"Let's play, Organization XIII." Luxord says to himself, smirking.


	34. Never Ending Darkness

**I just finished this...**

**im sorry....**

**And I'm gonna go hide now!**

**BTW: All this will make sense NEXT chapter**

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x X**

**Gummy Ship**

"Let's go!" Sora cheers as they enter the ship, Xigbar in tow.

".... Hmm...." He examines some of the machinary and shudders. He rapidly takes a seat.

"What? Scared, Braig?" Ventus teases and then he grins at Xigbar.

"No. Just not exactly got my balance yet." Xigbar snaps.

"HAHAHA! Braig's SCARED!" Ventus laughs, and then Xigbar grabs him.

"You wanna be deep fried, or should I just crisp you?" Xigbar says, grinning.

"Enough boys!" Aqua says, taking the pilot's seat.

"Shortie started it." Xigbar drops him.

"Pirate did!" Ventus says, rubbing his leg from where he had been dropped.

"...... No fighting! This is a happy ship!" Donald snaps, getting mad.

"Yeah, it runs on happy faces. So, ya gotta look funny, like us." Goofy laughs.

"Eh? What the? Happy?" Xigbar blinks in surprise.

"Like this!" Sora makes a huge grin and crosses his eyes. Riku bursts into laughter and Kairi begins to giggle. The atmosphere was cheerful, as everyone was waiting to find their lost friends once more. They spent several more minutes like this, goofing around.

"Huh?" Aqua says, staring into space.

"What is it, Lady Aqua?" Donald asks, taking a peek. He didn't see anything.

"I thought... I saw someone on the ..." Aqua starts to say.

"Sorry Aqua, but I don't see anythin'.... Maybe ya imagined it?" Goofy says, looking around.

"No... This feels... familiar, almost." Aqua says, peering at the ship's exterior again.

"Aqua!" Ventus cries out.

"What IS that?!" Sora says, staring in one of the windows.

"Huh?" She sees the figure again, motioning gracefully. Dark tendrils wrap around its arms, and the figure starts to speak. All Aqua can feel is a soft vibration of the ship.

"Aqua! What is that?!" Riku demands, summoning his Way To The Dawn.

"I... I don't know." Aqua says, staring at the figure.

"No, over HERE!" Kairi says, pointing.

"Huh?" Aqua looks. A dark cloud of smoke engulfed the ship, and it began to shudder violently.

"Hold onto something!" Ventus says, grabbing one of the seats.

"...Kairi!" Sora grabs her, holding her close as he grabs onto one of the various computers.

"Dammit! I didn't die once just to die with YOU!" Xigbar snarls, hooking himself onto something. The ship shudders again, as Aqua tries to fix the ship back onto it's target location. Then, just as suddenly as it appeared, the smoke vanishes.

"Whoa!" The ship crashes, smashing into the ground with a bonejarring boom. The ship falls apart, sending the occupents flying.

"Ugh!" Riku grunts as he tumbles against the pavestones.

"Whoa!" Xigbar and Ventus crash into a small house, landing somewhat safely on the roof.

"Nngh!" Aqua manages to hook onto the ship's wing, and manages to keep herself nearby. Donald and Goofy tumble out, landing safely near the ship.

".... Gah!" Axel smashes against a small building, getting the wind knocked out of him as he lands. He groans, but still is uninjured.

"..... Ugh..." Sora moans, as he lands onto the hard pavestones of Radiant Gardens.

"Are you okay?" Kairi groans, pushing herself up.

"Y-Yeah... Nothing broken. You?" Sora says, experimentally moving his fingers and toes to check.

"No... I'm fine." Kairi winces and holds her arm protectively.

"Here, let me-" Sora freezes as a hand pushes past him, gleaming with soft green light.

"Heal." A lyrical voice says, grabbing Kairi's arm. It flashes for a moment, and then heals completely, leaving no trace of her injury.

"Wow! Thanks a lot, Mister!" Sora says gratefully, helping Kairi up.

"....." The figure says nothing, hidden under a long black cloak. Whoever it was, they were watching Sora carefully. The moment Sora moved near the figure, they stepped back.

"Huh?" Sora says, puzzled. They looked familiar...

".... Fair tidings to you, Keyblade Master." The musical voice says again.

"Huh? How do you kno-" Sora starts to say.

"Sora!" His friends rush out to see if he was alright.

"........." The figure watches calmly, quietly.

"Huh? Who's thi-" Axel starts to say.

"Axel?.... You're alive.... How?" The figure says softly, questioningly.

"Who are you?!" Axel demands, summoning his Eternal Flames.

".... Kairi as well.... And Riku." the figure says, removing the hood.

"Poppet?" Xigbar asks, staring.

"Yes.... I suppose." The woman says. A long mane of black hair, as dark as a raven's wing flows down the woman's back. She keeps her eyes closed, but smiles softly at them. Her body was slight, almost petite. It was built not for strength, although by the look of it, she had plenty of that, but for speed and agility. Under the thick black cloak, was armored plates, similar to snake scales.

"Xion?!" Roxas says, in shock.

".... I have not been called that in several years.... But...." Suddenly the woman opens her eyes. They were a soft golden color, the blue long vanishes. She smirks, and clenches her hand. A sharp sound, as small dagger like knives appear on the thick metal gloves.

"You may call me as such." Xion says, removing her cloak. They all recoil as they see a small black and red tattooed brand on her unarmored shoulder.

"A Heartless mark!?" Axel and Roxas say in unison. She summons a large black sword, decorated with small dark wings, for a fallen angel.

"..... Why yes. It suits me." Xion laughs, a high pure note seeming to vibrate through the air. She glances at Sora, her golden eyes staring hungrily at his form.

"Why you!" Roxas summons his Oathkeeper and Oblivion.

"Fool." Xion says, laughing again.

"Huh?" Xion snaps her fingers, a dark barrier gets erected between Sora and his friends.

"SORA!" Kairi cries out.

"I am your oppunent, my old friend. My name is Ion, of the First Order." Ion says softly, her golden eyes not leaving Sora's blue ones.

"Alright. If I win, you have to answer my questions right?" Sora asks, summoning his Keyblade.

"Hmph. I have no reason to." Ion responds, smiling darkly at him.

"Huh?" Sora says.

"But.... for the sake of our friendship, I shall allow three questions, no more, no less. Have we a bargain, Keyblade Master?" Ion says, her eyes gleaming.

"Fine." Sora tightens his grip on Ultimia's handle.

"Pardon. I wish to fight you, with YOUR power, not your blade's." Ion says, pointing to the Keyblade.

"Huh? Without my Keyblade?" Sora repeats, glancing at it.

"In return... I shall not fight with my own blade." Ion smashes the blade into the ground, waiting for Sora to do the same.

"Sora, no! It's a trick!" Axel cries out to him.

"Don't trust her!" Riku yells.

"... Alright. I'll trust you, Xion." Sora says, dropping his Keyblade.

"Good." Xion curls her fingers into a fist and brings them up to her face. Sora takes a boxer like pose and smiles.

"Do you want first punch?" Sora says, watching her carefully.

"Shouldn't you be watching your OWN back?" Ion says, smirking.

"Huh?" Ion vanishes.

"What?!" Sora glances around.

"SORA! BEHIND YOU!!" Kairi screams.

"What?" Sora grunts as he feels himself being lifted a few inches off the ground. Something presses through his flesh, past his heart, and emerging through the other side.

"I warned you.... Use YOUR power. This IS my power." Ion's soft voice laughs bitterly near Sora's throat. She drives the dagger in deeper. Sora screams, turning white. Dark blood pools around Sora's feet, dripping down his clothes, painting them crimson.

"X...i..o...n....." Sora says softly, the blood coating his lips.

"You left me to rot. I suppose this is sufficient punishment, KEYBLADE BOY." Ion snarls, twisting the dagger roughly. Sora screams again, a single tear falling from the blue of his eyes.

"I really.... hate you." Ion says darkly, and then very gently kisses his cheek.

"But I cannot let you fall." Ion says, removing the blade. Sora tumbles forward, blood spilling from him in currents.

"I shall allow you one thing...... See what you shall do." Ion says, dark light pooling in her hand. She lightly touches Sora's eyes. They grow blank as he falls into an endless dream.

* * *

"Huh?" Sora says, opening his eyes. He was in a large dark room. He spots four small figure engulfed in crystalline structures. Kairi, Namine, Axel, and Riku.

"Kairi?" Sora calls out, and then he hears a soft chuckle.

"I'm so sorry... She can't hear you." The voice says. Sora recognizes it.

"You're-"

"You." The owner of the voice appears, a boy in dark armor.

"Would you like to see your future?" The boy says, a dark reflection of Sora's own features.

"What?" The boy rolls his covered eyes, and stirs a small pool with a knife.

"Watch, fool." The boy tells him. Sora steps up to the water and watches as it turns crimson, and then starts to show images.

_"Hahaha..." An dark chuckle comes from his lips as he stares at the innocent girl in front of him. _

_"No.... NO!" She says and tries to run, but he moves rapidly and pins her to the wall._

_"Sorry _PRINCESS._ But.... He's already gone. It's just me now." He whispers gently into her ear._

_"Sora.. _SORA_!!" The girl whimpers._

_"Already gone. I'm me now. Not him." The boy laughs darkly again and carefully slips his fingers around her slim throat. A thin chain, with a small charm of a crown clanks softly against his cool fingers and he carefully tightens his fingers, watching the girl's changing expression intensely._

_"MMPH!" The girl clutches at her throat but he just laughs again and squeezes tighter. He smiles as the girl's beautiful sapphire eyes close, and she chokes out a final breath, and a final statement._

_"S..o..r..a..." she whispers, before falling into a endless sleep._

_"No....._KAIRI_!!!" Another voice screams, a young boy stares in horror at the pale girl and at the boy with crimson blood dripping down his fingers._

_"Riku." the other boy says to the shocked figure before him, and gently shakes his fingers clean of the dark blood._

_"DAMN YOU! _DAMN YOU TO HELL, SORA_!!" Riku screams, as he sees Kairi's peaceful face, finally resting in death. A necklace of dark crimson coats the skin around her bruised throat, shedding ruby drops onto the ground beneath her._

_"Good night... little Princess." Sora says, to the silent corpse. He smiles darkly again, golden eyes gleaming. He gently rubs his fingers, the last trace of the Seventh Princess of Heart dripping down his hand, pooling into a dark puddle around his feet._

"NO!" Sora cries out, watching as the thick blood drips out of her.

"Keep watching." The boy chuckles, stirring the water one more time.

"......." The scene in the pool changes into one of a small city.

_"Sora!" Riku cries out, smiling as he finally got to see his friend again._

_"Riku...." The sinister voice of the boy next to him says, smiling._

_"It's been six months... how could you do this to us? Everyone thought you were dead!" Riku says, relief obvious on his face._

_"Oh really? I'm sorry." Sora says, smiling at his friend._

_"Let's go home. Kairi'd really want to see you." Riku holds his hand out to him._

_"Riku... There's something I need for you to do for me?" Sora requests._

_"Huh? Anything." Riku says, trust glowing in his eyes._

_"Don't move." Sora laughs darkly as he appears behind Riku._

_"What?!" Sora pushes him down, and Riku tumbles onto the wet pavement. Sora places a boot against Riku's chest._

_"I need you to help me.... You wouldn't want to hurt your friend, would you?" Sora says, golden eyes gleaming._

_"Sora?" Riku says, watching in horror as Sora smiles darkly at him._

_"I need your eyes. To see as I once could." Sora says softly, pulling out a silver dagger, the handle shaped like a heart._

_"What? My eyes?" Riku repeats, putting a hand to them._

_"In exchange.... you get mine." Sora says, placing the knife to his right golden eye._

_"SORA!" Sora grunts as he carefully carves it out. Dark, almost black, blood drips out of the severed eye._

_"..... Sora.... it's not you.... It's someone else." Riku realizes._

_"Correct." Sora, or rather the one who looked like him, kneels besides Riku._

_"Thank you... for the gift, Riku." Sora says, placing the knife onto Riku's right eyes._

_"NOOO!" Riku howls in pain as the knife digs in deep._

"AH!" Sora recoils from the pool once more.

"....." The boy watches through mismatched eyes, one gold, the other a famliar blue green.

"Keep watching." the boy taunts, his eyes gleaming.

"... No... please... no more." Sora begs, his hands now stained scarlet.

_"Oh yes. More. Much more." The boy taunts._

_"DO IT!" Axel screams, blood dripping from his lips._

_"No... I can't... Axel..." Roxas begs._

_"DO IT OR I'LL _NEVER_ FORGIVE YOU." Axel snarls._

_"... But..." Roxas says, doubt clouding his eyes._

_".... I'll forgive you. It's okay. I'm going to go be with Xion... not the thing that's pretending to be her." Axel says, shuddering violently. He could already feel the change happening, a tickle of flames in his chest._

_"..... We're... best friends, aren't we?" Roxas says softly._

_"So do it. Kill me. And I promise, one day we'll meet again. Got it memorized?" Axel says, closing his eyes and smirking._

_"Promise?" Roxas questions._

_"Promise. We'll have ice cream with her, on the Clock Tower. Just like old times." Axel says._

_"... Good bye Axel." Roxas begins to sob._

_"See ya later... partner." Axel says. Roxas slashes, and Axel is no more. His body vanishes in golden light, and all that's left is a small charm. Bond of Flame, Axel's final promise._

_"AXXXEEEL!!" Roxas screams, collapsing onto the splattered ground, sobbing._

"NO! I WON'T LET THAT HAPPEN!" Sora screams.

"But it already has. Who are you fooling?" The boy questions.

"I WON'T LET IT HAPPEN! I WON'T!" Sora screams, cluching his head.

"...You'll soon die... whether it be a monster, or insane." The boy laughs.

* * *

"....How long is he going to sleep?" Roxas asks, his eyes dull.

".. I don't know.... But he should wake up soon." Kairi says, tears forming in her eyes.

"Xion....." Axel says, mournfully.

"At least we have Namine." Ventus says.

"They're safe. All of them." Roxas says, tears pouring from his eyes.

"Xion.... I'm so sorry, we couldn't save you." Axel says, his face contorted in both anger and loss.


	35. A Third Path and a Missing Number

**Guys, we're nearing the end.**

**And you all rock, we hit 200 reviews!**

**and another thing, don't flame the Biddy. (me)**

**Only trying to finish the story, so we can get the already being written sequel, kay?**

**yes, this may piss you off.**

**you have been warned.**

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx X**

**Unknown Location**

"You have a third choice, a third path, a third destiny. Find it, and take it." A soft voice says.

"How? How can I?! That THING, he's-" Sora starts to say. He was shaking, the boy had shown him so many memories, so much blood, that he could barely breathe. How could he turn into such a monster? One that laughed while slaughtering the innocent?

"Sora, he's only part of you. Not all. The only reason Keyxs is here, is because of your cowardice. Go willingly, and the third path will be made clear." The voice continues.

"But.... How? All those visions... all those memories... all those PEOPLE! Did I kill them all? I can't just forget them!" Sora protests.

"Yes, Sora. You DID kill them all. But, you can still save them." The man continues.

"Just who are you?" Sora demands.

"Hmph. I guess you can call me your good half." The man shrugs, a grin on his lips. His blue eyes gleam and his hands absentmindingly comb through dark spikey hair.

".... Time to wake up, Sora. Say hi to them for me." The man says, smiling sadly.

"How can I stop this?" Sora asks.

"I told you already. GO WILLINGLY."

**Radiant Gardens**

".... Mmm..... Mister?" Sora says, opening his eyes. He was still very dazed from the weird dream he'd had.

"Sora?" A soft voice questions.

"Huh? Namine?!" Sora sits up, and then gasps as a sharp pain flashes through his chest.

"Please don't move. You're still hurt." Namine says, carefully removing a once white bandage from around Sora's chest.

"How?! How did you get here?! What happened?!" Sora asks, completely confused. Just how long was he asleep?

"I came with Roxas and the others. They saved me from the Castle." Namine says, and carefully sits Sora up so he could drink some soup. He takes it and continues to bombard her with questions.

"What happened? How long have I been asleep? Is everyone okay?"

".... I think Riku should be the one to explain this to you." Namine says, a tear falling from her cheek. Sora hears the patter of small feet and a little girl comes in, her hands barely managing to reach the doorknob.

"Oh! Namie, are you alright?" Namine asks. The girl nods, and then motions to Sora.

"He's fine. He woke up. Can you please go get Riku and the others, please?" Namine requests. The girl nods and troops off.

"... Who was that?" Sora asks, sipping the cup of broth.

"Namine, No. 3. She was a Replica made by Vexen." Namine says.

"Why does she look like you?" She had, the only difference between the two girls was the age. And the small tattoo on the younger one's shoulder, a Nobody symbol with III in the middle of the design. The long blonde hair, the warm blue eyes, and the delicate figure, all the same.

"Sora!" Riku says, rushing into the room.

"Thank god you're okay!" Kairi says, wiping away a tear. She smiles at him, relief obvious on her face.

"You really scared us." Roxas says, his eyes dark and gloomy. But he manages to smile, and to ruffle Sora's hair, before going back into his state of depression, tears falling from his blue eyes, rain falling from the sky.

"What happened, Roxas?" Sora asks, concerned about Roxas's bizarre behavior.

"Sora.... We went into the Castle, Xigbar lead us there." Axel says, not willing to look Sora in the eyes.

"Where's.... Xion?" Sora asks, looking at his friends. She wasn't there, the one that Axel and Roxas had wanted to save.

"Xion's dead." Haru says softly.

"DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK HER NAME, YOU USELESS REPLICA!" Roxas snarls, his contorted in grief. Namine immediately comes to his side, and holds him close to her.

"... We couldn't save her. The plans that we got from Haru's computers and things, they weren't right. And us wandering around, well....." Axel pauses.

"GOT XION KILLED." Roxas sobs, burying his face in Namine's shoulder. She just murmurs softly to him, comforting him as a mother would do to a crying child.

"What happened?" Sora says, his eyes darting around the group. First to Kairi, tears pooling in her eyes. Riku, who was shaking slightly. Haru, whose blank eyes seemed to tell their own story, one of his guilt and regret. Axel, whose entire body seemed stiff, he looked unwilling to accept. Xigbar, who had remained silent the whole time. Roxas who continued to sob, Namine who continued to comfort the grief striken boy. And the little girl, the one who simply looked at him, solemn blue eyes watching him.

"....We got your friends from the Restoration Committee to help us, and we got another Gummi Ship, and took off for the Castle where the girls were.... We thought it was better than to wait for you to wake up." Riku begins to tell the story, with everyone placing details of what they remembered.

Flashback

"Sora's going to be very mad when he wakes up." Kairi says, still shaking.

"So? We're going to rescue the girls, and that's final." Riku says, carefully controlling the ship with Aqua and Donald supervising.

"There it is. The Serene Night Castle." Xigbar confirms.

"Here, we'll have to split up. This place is huge." Haru hands maps to everyone, ones that he'd made while scanning the Castle with a computer program.

"... We'll go find Xion." Axel says immediately, and Roxas nods.

"Let's split up into two groups: Me, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, and Ventus all go to destroy the Organization. Haru, Axel, Roxas, Aqua and Xigbar, you all go find the girls. And anyone else trapped in the Castle. If anything happens, you come back to the ship and give us a signal." Riku commands. Everyone nods.

"And the signal?" Axel questions. Riku smiles.

"A crown." Riku says, referring to the one member of the party that had stayed behind.

"Let's go, before the Organization finds us." Haru says, leaping out of the ship the moment it lands.

_Don't worry; we're coming to find you:_

_Xion_

_Namine _

_Terra_

All of the group has a loved one lost in the cold black walls of the Castle. Each one would fight for the sake of that one person, give up the worlds for that one person.

"Get ready, this isn't over. It's barely beginning." Riku says, his blue eyes on the black walls of the Castle, smiling with anticipation.


	36. Entering The Castle

**Dum dum dum!!!**

**I bet everyone's been wondering what exactly happened to Xion!**

**Well, too bad! That's NEXT chapter.**

**But meanwhile here's a little reunion scene!!**

**X x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx X**

_Flashback_

**Castle Of The Serene Night**

"Get ready, this isn't over. It's barely beginning." Riku says. They all nod, and go their seperate ways.

"Kairi, are you sure you don't want to stay in the ship?" Riku says, looking worriedly at her.

"No. I'm tired of waiting. I'm going to go help this time." Kairi says, smiling confidently at him.

"Alright... But if you get hurt, Sora's never going to let me hear the end of it." Riku says, shrugging.

"Aw.. Kairi's a good fighter, Riku." Goofy says, coming to the girl's defense.

"Yeah! She took down a buncha Heartless!" Donald confirms.

"Trust in me, Riku." Kairi says.

"Fine. But if I tell you to run, you run. No questions." Riku says.

"Guys, as nice as this is, can we PLEASE get into the Castle so we can save Terra?!" Ventus says impatiently.

"Sure. But we have to take down the Organization first." Riku reminds him.

"Hold up gang!" Jiminy Cricket suddenly says. He had been in Sora's hood for most of the adventure, but then transferred into Riku's pocket after Sora had been injured to document what was going to happen in the Castle.

"What is it, Jiminy?" Riku asks.

"Something just doesn't feel right!" The tiny cricket says, looking around.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Kairi asks.

"I dunno! But it feels kinda funny.... Like when you fought that older guy, Riku!" Jiminy says, glancing around nervously.

"Huh?" Riku flinches.

"What?!" Donald quacks as he feels a wind current snake around him, bringing a stench of something coppery.

"... It's blood." Kairi realizes, turning pale.

".... Not just that. It smells like darkness. And a lot of it." Riku says, looking around.

"We're not even in the Castle yet, and we can already feel darkness?!" Ventus comments, shuddering.

"Let's go. The others are already inside." Riku says, taking a few steps foward before pausing to look at his friends. They all nod and keep walking. They manage to enter the Castle.

"You know somethin' funny?" Goofy says, carrying his Save the King shield in one hand.

"We don't got time for games, you big palooka!" Donald tells him, angrily.

"Don'tcha notice that there aren't any Heartless 'round here?" Goofy continues.

"Huh?" Everyone glances around. He was right.

"Then what was that we felt?" Kairi asks.

".... Hmm... Anyone else think it felt familiar?" Ventus says.

"... A little... as if I knew it from when I was younger." Riku says.

"Huh? You too?" Kairi says in surprise.

"Us too!" Donald and Goofy say in unison.

"I can explain that." An unfamiliar voice says.

"...No way!" Ventus says, excitedly.

"Hey Ven. What's up?" A tall young man with brown hair, blue eyes, and slightly tanned skin greets them. He was wearing armor on one arm, just long enough for it reach his hand. A black gauntlet, and a black fingerless glove on one arm, and a black band on his other. Armored boots, copper or perhaps gold in color. He smirks at Ventus, and then bows his head at the sight of Kairi and Riku.

"Fair tidings to you." He says formally, before turning back to Ventus.

"TERRA! YOU'RE ALIVE!" Ventus tackles him, giving him a big hug.

"Gah! Yes, you idiot! Who said I died?!" Terra snaps, and then rapidly ruffles his friend's hair. It was obvious that he had missed the overexciteable Ventus.

"Aqua's here too!" Ventus says, grinning.

"...Her too?" Terra says, guilt clouding his eyes.

"It's okay, Terra. We forgive you." Ventus says, putting his hand on Terra's arm.

"Wait, who else is here?" Terra asks suspiously, glaring at Riku and the others.

"They're our friends, Terra! Donald, Goofy, Riku and Kairi! And, we need your help. Do you know your way around?" Ventus says.

"I haven't been locked up here for the last few months not to." Terra says, still not willing to trust the rest of the group.

"Then? Let's go already!." Donald quacks, looking at Terra angrily.

"Wait... Aren't you Donald? And Goofy?" Terra questions, they seemed familiar.

"That's right!" Donald says immediately, getting suspicious.

"You're one of those Keyblade Masters that King Mickey talks about, ain't cha?" Goofy says, remembering what King Mickey had told him and Donald before.

"I suppose. Though.... I... Wait, Riku?" Terra says, recognizing the name. He stares at Riku, shocked.

"That's me." Riku says, summoning his Way To The Dawn. He looks Terra right in the eye, unafraid. Terra smiles at Riku's boldness.

"A Keyblade.. Hmph, I guess I was right to name you my successor. C'mon then. Let's go find those girls." Terra says, deciding to trust them after all. He turns back the way he had come, the group following close behind.

"Great! But.... Why are YOU here, Terra? I mean, I'm here to protect the Keyblade Master." Ventus says, as they walk through the dimly lit halls.

"... Keyblade Master?" Terra says, glancing behind himself at Riku.

"Yup! He's the future Keyblade Master." Ventus says, as if telling a secret.

"And I'm telling you! SORA'S the Keyblade Master!" Riku snaps.

".... Not for much longer, if what Xemnas said was right." Terra says, picking up the pace.

"What? Xemnas?" Kairi says, surprised.

"Didn't Riku and Sora defeat Xemnas?" Goofy says, puzzled.

"Why do ya think we're here, Goofy! We're here to defeat the Organization once-an-for all!" Donald declares proudly.

"..... Are you going to destroy me too? I'm technically a member." Terra says, smirking. He obviously knew that the small duck and lanky dog had little to no chance on beating him.

"Huh?" Riku asks.

"... Xemnas and I were once one and the same. A while ago, he rejected my memories, making and somehow... I became me again. Xemnas wants to control me, just like he did to Roxas and Xion." Terra says softly, to Ventus.

"We'll stop him!" Ventus promises. Terra smirks, a dark glint in his eyes.

"You really think I'm gonna let him go free? He has my most precious memories, and I want them back."


	37. Too Late

**Hello again, it's Biddy again.**

**And, if you have time to read this VERY bad chapter (bad writing all the way) :**

**Check out Org. XIII is better than the Akatski's new crossover: Kingdom Hearts III.**

**much better than this.**

**x x x x x x x x xxx x x x x xxx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x **

_Flashback_

**Castle Of The Serene Night **

"Geez.... This place is spooky." Aqua comments, glancing at the dark halls.

"Aw, wanna hold my hand or something if you're scared?" Xigbar teases.

"In your dreams, pirate boy."

"Well, it's your loss."

"........" Axel just glances around. Something didn't feel right.

"Axel." Roxas says softly. He summons his dual Keyblades.

"You feel it too?" Axel says, glancing at him.

"Yeah. It's like.... when... Well, you faded." Roxas admits, not sure how exactly he felt. A dark hallowness in his heart and it began to feel empty, as if he'd just lost something important.

".... Oh no." Axel stops dead in his tracks.

"What?" Roxas asks.

"When you left, I felt this too. And when Xion faded the first time." Axel murmurs.

"You don't think-" They become silent.

"Huh? What's up with you two? Hurry up!" Haru says, impatient.

"We're coming." Roxas says, taking a few steps forward.

"..... Hey! Haru! This map doesn't make any sense!" Xigbar complains, turning the map upside down and sideways various times to try to figure out how it worked.

"You moron... Let me see." Haru snatches it from his hand and then blinks in surprise.

"What the?" Aqua stares at the map. It seemed to be shifting in shape right before their eyes, one room in particular.

"Isn't this where WE are?" Demyx asks. He had quickly decided to follow this group instead of staying alone in the Gummy Ship.

"You're right! What gives, Haru?" Xigbar says, eyeing him suspiciously.

"... It wasn't like that when I made it!" Haru says defensively.

"So, basically this map's useless." Axel tosses it in disgust. Haru glares at him, and picks it back up.

"This won't help us find the girls in time! We don't know what they're doing to them!" Roxas says angrily. He grips his Keyblades tighter.

"... Hey. Wait a second, don't get your panties in a twist, but didn't we already go through here?" Xigbar comments.

"What?"

"Did we already pass that thing?" Xigbar points to a giant staircase, made of dark wood.

".... You have to be wrong." Haru says, eyeing his map and grimacing.

"... No, I'm SURE we passed it! ... Hang on." Xigbar pulls out a Sharpshooter. He rapidly fires three shots, impaling arrows on several different areas of the staircase.

"Heh. There. Now we'll know if we're traveling in circles." Xigbar grins, everyone could tell he just did that because he was bored.

"YOU IDIOT! Why don't you just put up a neon sign telling everyone we're HERE!" Haru snarls at him, glaring.

"Well, excuse me. Let's go, before Haru blows one of his tiny fuses." Xigbar keeps walking.

"........" They hear a soft strumming noise.

"Demyx! Knock it off!" Aqua hisses.

"That wasn't me." Demyx says, showing his hands. He didn't even have Arpeggio out.

"... If that's not you, then who is it? I mean, no one else plays guitar in the Organization." Haru points out.

"HEY! It's a SITAR." Demyx says defensively.

"..... This sounds different." Aqua comments, closing her eyes and listening. They all become quiet and listen.

"... It's softer." Roxas points out.

"..... Whatever it is, it's creepy. And not gonna find us Xion faster. So, no Q & A! Let's go!" Axel snaps, walking faster. Everyone runs down the corridor and then...

"WHAT?!" Xigbar points to a series of steps. There was three arrows impaled in a neat row on its side.

".... No way. That's impossible." Haru says, glancing behind him.

"This place is freaking me out." Roxas says.

".... Shhh. I hear something." Demyx says.

"...Here we go again.... THERE'S NO GUIT-" Haru starts to say.

"Someone TALKING!" Demyx interrupts.

"... I'm tired of running! I'm sick of hiding! AND I'M SICK OF YOU!" Xion's voice snarls.

"Xion!" Axel cries out.

"I'm not going to hold back anymore!" Xion screams, rushing forward to attack Saix.

"You're a fool." Saix says, rapidly dodging her attack.

"ALL YOU ARE IS A COWARD! A COWARD AND A DOG! IF YOU WANT TO KILL ME, THEN KILL ME! DON'T PLAY WITH ME, VII!" Xion snarls defiantly.

"Xion!" Roxas says, reaching where the two were battling. Luxord was collapsed on the floor, clutching Namine in a protective embrace. Both were unconscious.

".. You came. You really came." Xion says, her eyes widening in shock at the sight of her friends.

"How sweet. The last thing you'll see is your friends." Saix says with venom in his voice.

"XION MOVE!" Axel yells.

"...." Xion turns to face Saix, and he calmly stabs her chest clean through with his Lunatic.

"... XION!!" Roxas screams and starts to rush forward, but Axel grabs his wrist.

"Wait!" Axel says. Saix pulls his Claymore out of Xion's limp body and shakes dark droplets from it's hilt.

"Good riddance to bad rubbish." Saix says coldly, eyeing Xion breathing shallowly. He savagely sends her flying into a wall, making her cough out a torrent of blood.

"Farwell, Lea." Saix vanishes, laughing darkly. Axel runs over the moment Saix disappears.

"XION! XION!" Roxas screams, rushing forward the second Axel lets go of his arm. Roxas trips, and keeps running, even crawling to his friend.

"Roxas... Axel... You...really.... came." Xion murmurs softly. Her entire chest was black with blood. They both grab at her hands, Axel on her left side, Roxas on her right.

"Xion... We're here." Axel says softly. He was shaking, and seemed to be in shock.

"Xion... You're going to be okay, I promise." Roxas says, trembling fingers touching her face. Xion laughs.

"I'm ...not... scared..." Xion says, smiling.

"What?" Axel says,

I'm... not... scared... anymore. You're... both ...here. Good-bye.... Bro." Xion says, and then closes her eyes.

"Xion? Xion! Xion!" Roxas says, shaking the limp body. Xion has the most peaceful look on her face, as if dreaming something beautiful.

"XION. WAKE UP, we're supposed to keep our promise, remember? We're gonna go get ice cream, just the three of us. PLEASE?! PLEASE!" Roxas whispers, his entire body shaking.

"Xion." Axel repeats, his eyes flooding with tears.

"I'm going to kill him. I'M GOING TO KILL HIM." Roxas hisses, cradling Xion's head in his lap.

"There's nothing you can do for her, Roxas." Axel whispers, placing a hand on Xion's face.

"Yes, I can. I'm going to kill him. Exactly like he killed my little sister." Roxas says, his blue eyes turning dark with hatred.


	38. Saying Farewell to Old Friends

**No lame comments tonight (it's 12:58 PM guys) , just read.**

**Hope you "enjoy".**

**X x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x X**

_Flashback_

**Castle Of The Serene Night**

"Terra!" Ventus calls out, following his friend.

"Where exactly are we going?" Riku asks, looking around suspiciously.

"To find your friends. They're in the upper part of the Castle, along with Vexen's lab experiment." Terra says calmly.

"Lab experiment? Xion?" Kairi asks.

"What? Oh, right. No, not that one. I mean No. 3." Terra says, starting to walk down a flight of stairs.

"Weren't they in the UPPER part of the Castle, Terra?" Goofy asks, waiting on the top step.

"Things aren't what they appear to be in this Castle. Up is down, down is sideways, sideways is left. As long as he keeps playing, the Castle will stay like that." Terra says mysteriously.

"He? Who?" Donald asks, looking around.

"Just listen, and you should be able to hear him." They all stop and listen. A soft strumming noise, with a regular rhythmic beat.

"Who's playing?" Kairi asks, opening her eyes.

"The true master of this Castle." Terra says.

"So basically, the Organization are only guests here?" Ventus questions.

"That's right. Their own Castle is being run by Ansem the Wise, so someone provided them another. To keep us busy." Terra says, walking briskly down the stairs.

"I'M NOT GOING TO LET THIS GO! SHE'S DEAD BECAUSE OF HIM!" They heard someone scream.

"Ain't that Roxas's voice?" Goofy asks, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Roxas! YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR HER! THAT'S WHAT DEAD MEANS!" Axel snarls.

"..... You can't say that. You don't think she'd do that same for us?" Roxas says coldly.

"Roxas! Axel!" Riku calls out, running toward their voices.

"....." Aqua, Haru, Demyx, and Xigbar glance at them.

"...Riku, Xion's-" Demyx starts to say.

"SHUT UP!" Axel and Roxas snap in unison. Demyx flinches and stays quiet.

"We lost Xion." Aqua nods her head toward a small figure in the middle of the room. She was covered up by Axel's Organization jacket.

"Oh no. ... What happened?" Kairi says, staring at the body.

"Saix happened, that's what!" Haru snarls, clenching his fist.

"We didn't get here in time." Xigbar says, guiltily.

"..... Uhh...." Namine groans. Roxas flinches and immediately goes to her side.

"Are you okay?" Roxas asks softly.

"Y-Yes... I think so. .... Where's Xion? Is she okay?" Namine says, opening her eyes.

".... She's not coming back with us, Namine." Axel tells her when Roxas becomes silent.

"What? Why?" Namine says, and then her eyes fall on Xion. She gasps, her eyes filling with tears.

"........... Here, let us help." Riku helps Roxas to his feet, and then in turn, Kairi helps support Namine.

"We need to get you out of here." Riku says.

"No! Not til I get Saix!" Roxas snarls, shoving Riku away from him.

"..... We'll be comin' right back." Axel promises, nodding to Roxas. Roxas nods back, as if in a signal.

"WAIT!" The duo makes a run for it, skidding down the stairs.

"What's the plan, Axel?!" Roxas says, running alongside his friend.

"Find Saix, take him down! Got it memorized?!" Axel says, grinning viciously with bloodlust.

**Unknown Room**

".....You're offering me a deal?" Saix says coldly to a small black cloaked figure.

"Yes. We might be in need of your... skills." The figure was quivering slightly, and gritting their teeth. Whoever it was, it was obvious that they hated Saix.

".... What is the price for this offer?" Saix asks, turning to face them.

"Nothing much. Your Heart for one." The figure says, a soft melodious voice.

"... No deal." Saix says immediately.

"We can find another price." The woman says coldly. Her golden eyes scan the room, and she smirks as if knowing a delicious secret.

"Pardon... But ION, I must know. What is your relationship to the Ranks?" Saix says, nodding toward her Organization jacket.

"I wear the mark of the one who killed me, SAIX." Ion snarls viciously. She hisses violently as she feels the presence of someone approaching.

"Here come the heroes... See you later, Saix.... or not." Ion laughs hysterically, a touch of madness appearing in her golden eyes. She vanishes.

".... Heroes?" Saix repeats questioningly. He soon gets his answer.

"HEY SAIX!" Roxas yells, his defiant eyes catching Saix's own. Roxas summons his Keyblades, Oblivion and Oathkeeper catching the light of the dim room.

"Hmph. Those heroes." Saix says with distaste.

".... Roxas... Sorry bout this." Axel says softly.

"What?" Axel punches Roxas in the stomach, causing Roxas to collapse to the floor in pain. Axel steps forward, summoning his Eternal Flame chakrams. Behind him, he creates a barricade of dancing flames.

"Hello there, Isa." Axel greets his one time friend.

"Come to kill me?" Saix asks calmly, not taking his eyes off of Axel's approaching figure.

"Yup. You killed my sister, Isa. I need to make sure you NEVER touch anyone ever again." Axel says, his eyes darkening.

"Sister? Oh, the puppet. She was worthless, so I disposed of her." Saix says, smiling viciously.

"Heh. You were always so smart, Isa. What happened to ya?" Axel asks, gripping his chakrams tighter.

"I could say the same thing." Saix summons his Lunatic claymore, and then faces Axel without fear.

"Guess only one of us is gonna make it outta here alive, right?" Axel comments, looking around at the ornamented room.

"Correct. I promise, on the friendship we once shared, I'll make sure to mourn you properly." Saix says, nodding toward Axel.

"Oh really? I'll miss ya, buddy. Too bad we can't have ice cream together again." Axel says, smirking. He believed that he already had the battle won.

"Pity... but..." Saix rushes forward, striking at the ground at Axel's feet. Axel dodges, scooting back several feet.

"I'm sure we'll meet again someday."

"Sure, and we'll be real pals. After all, we used to be best friends!" Axel taunts, throwing his flaming chakrams at Saix. Saix blocks them with the Claymore, impaling them onto the tiles.

"Yes, we were!" Saix howls viciously, calling to him the power of the full moon reflected in the large ornate window in the background. The chakrams fly back into Axel's hands as he runs and he skids forward, slamming them into the Claymore, and at Saix's face and hands.

"Is that all you have?" Saix says, striking Axel with the blunt of his weapon. Axel snarls, as he feels several ribs crack.

"Nope! I got lots more, got it memorized?" Axel gasps out, blood coating his lips. He stumbles forward, clutching his side.

"How pitful. I shall do it quickly." Saix lifts his Claymore up high. Axel drops his chakrams, gasping and in tears from the intense burning in his chest. He manages to dodge Saix's attack, and lies on his back helplessly for a moment. Axel stands, clumsily, and then smirks.

"......... HEY ISA!" Axel cries out, running forward, barehanded. Saix just slams him to the ground, and then places a black boot on his chest.

"I thought better of you. I thought that you'd be able to fight better." Saix taunts, grinning darkly at Axel. Axel laughs, a deep chuckle in his throat.

"Me too." Axel grabs the Claymore and pierces Saix's chest with its hilt. Saix's eyes widen in shock, and he stumbles backward.

".... I miss you already, Isa." Axel says, a wistful smile appearing on his face. Saix falls back, landing with a bone jarring thud. Axel mutters a curing spell and stands up.

"Man... I really missed you, Isa. I miss how it used to be like." Axel pulls out the Claymore and drops it back onto the black and white tiles. A dark flower of blood blooms on the tiles, and then Axel lightly closes Saix's eyes for him.

"Bye... Isa." Axel says, turning away from the body.

"Lea." A soft voice calls out. Axel turns around. He sees a young man in blue, with twinkling golden eyes, and a small familiar crescent moon pinned to his chest.

"Isa?" Axel asks, in shock. Isa nods, smiling.

"Welcome back, Lea. I missed you." Isa says, walking forward. He stops, about 3 feet from Axel's frozen figure.

"... Isa... How..?" Axel says, unwilling to believe who it was.

"Here. Present." Isa removes a small item from his pocket and flings it toward Axel. Axel catches it. One of his old Frisbees, one of the two red Frisbees with black edges, each adorned with a bomblike design. He later chose Chakrams to represent the side of him he had lost, the one that ran wild with Isa in their hometown.

"Lea... No, AXEL. Things are not over. Not by a long shot. And..... I hope you get that memorized." Isa says, invoking Axel's usual catch-line.

"Isa... I'm sorry.... I couldn't hel-" Isa begins to laugh.

"I'm not a little kid anymore. I'm a big boy, old enough to be help accountable for my own actions! When you see her again, could you tell her that _I'M_ sorry? For what Saix did?" Isa says, waving his hand. Saix's body vanishes, in a beam of silvery light.

"Huh? Who?" Axel asks.

"You'll know. Axel, one more thing. I don't have much more time but.... The next time we meet, can we try to be friends again?" Isa asks, his golden eyes wincing at his choice of words.

"Yeah. Promise. We'll be friends, Isa." Axel says, tears pooling in his green eyes. Isa grins.

"I can't wait to run around again with you, Axel." Isa says, while his body begins to vanish.

"Isa!" Isa just smiles, closing his eyes as his body dissolves into silver dust.

"Good bye.... Axel." Isa vanishes completely, leaving behind only a small cresent moon pin.

".... Good bye Isa." Axel says, releasing the barrier on the door. Roxas rushes forward, looking around for Saix.

"Where is he?!" Roxas demands, his eyes furious.

"He's gone." Axel tells him.

"What?! What did you d-" Axel grabs Roxas and shakes him angrily.

"I AM NOT LETTING YOU BECOME A KILLER. GOT THAT MEMORIZED?!" Axel snarls. Roxas turns pale, and nods.

".... I just.... lost two very important friends today. So... Excuse me for not being chipper." Axel says, tears flooding his eyes and spilling onto the small pin. He picks it up, and pins it to his pants pocket, his Organization jacket long gone.

"Let's go home. We don't have to fight anymore." Roxas pleads, his entire body shaking.

"Roxas... No one's here but me. Go ahead and cry. I won't tell nobody." Axel smiles a little at the bad pun, and wipes away some tears. Roxas begins to bite his lip, and then just bursts into tears.

"Xion! All she wanted was..."

"I know. She's gonna be waiting for us. I just know it." Axel says softly to Roxas, and to the listening sky. A soft hand lightly touches their shoulders, and they both feel a warm embrace on their backs, as if someone was leaning against them.

_Xion... You're listening, aren't you?_


	39. Finding The Third Keyhole

**I have NO idea what I was thinking typing this up!**

**I guess it's... foreshadowing?**

**Disclaimers: KH, Disney, or FF are not mine. however, Ion, Namie, Xoras (more on him later folks), Donny and Mikey are all mine.**

**Use them with caution.**

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**Radiant Gardens**

"We got out of the Castle, with Namie's help." Riku finishes, nodding toward the small girl.

"..... Xion... This... can't be. She has to be alive!" Sora protests.

"Whatever that lady was, she wasn't Xion. There's no way she can be." Axel says, staring blankly out the window.

"Oh really? Why is that, Axel?" A familiar voice says.

"What the?!" Ion leaps from the shadows, and strolls over to Sora's bed.

"Hmph. You're not dead? Pity." Ion says, eyeing Sora with distaste. Sora summons his Keyblade and glares defiantly at her.

"You too, Ion." Sora snarls, his eyes gleaming darkly.

".... You sound so confident today." Ion tells him.

"I've had a while to sleep." Sora snarls.

".... Yes, about a week, if I'm right." Ion smirks.

"Huh? A WEEK?!" Riku demands.

"Time in the Castle of Serene Night is much different than your normal time. You could have spent a hundred years there, and it would have seemed like a single night." She says, smiling sweetly.

"What?! What do you mean?" Axel demands.

"Exactly what I mean. Your little group of heroes has been out of it for about a week. You know, seven days, about 148 hours?" Ion says, flicking her black bangs out of her face. Her eyes seem to stare into Sora's own, and he just glares back.

"I'm not scared of you. I actually pity you." Sora tells her defiantly.

"Hm. You pity me? ME?!" Ion snarls. Her eyes flash darkly and she grabs Sora by the hair, pulling him up to meet her eyes.

"I pity you, Xion. I really don't know why." Sora says coldly, not seeming to notice Ion's death grip on his hair.

"YPU PITY ME?! YOU WANNA KNOW WHY?! YOU SHOULD PITY ME YOU LITTLE FREAK! YOU MONSTER, YOU'RE THE ONE WHO DID THIS TO ME! YOU WERE A COWARD! A COWARD!! YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AFRAID TO FACE DEATH; I DIDN'T! I FACED IT AND EMBRACED IT! I WASN'T SCARED, I WAS SAD THAT I WAS GOING TO LEAVE THEM BEHIND, BUT I WASN'T SCARED! YOU WOULDN'T LET ME GO, SORA! YOU WOULDN'T JUST LET ME DIE!" Ion snarls, her eyes filling with black tears. She grabs Sora by the scruff of his shirt and then just as suddenly as she had moved, she drops him.

"Ow!" Sora lifts himself up, and summons his Keyblade again.

".... I understand... No more playing." Ion says grimly.

"Huh? Who's she talkin' to?" Roxas asks.

".... Fine. I'll lead the brat outside." Ion grabs Sora and slams him against a window, shattering the glass and sending him skidding across the pavement before being stopped by a wall. Sora groans, and lies still.

"SORA!" Everyone runs outside. A portal opens, and three figures are shoved out of it.

"OUCH! Max, get offa me!" A tiny duck demands, smacking his little group with a small staff.

"Tell Mikey to get offa me!" A lanky dog says, shoving a tiny mouse off him. The dog, presumed to be called Max, picks up a small shield with King Mickey's symbol on it. He seemed to be the oldest of the group.

"It's not MY fault, Donny!" The mouse sobs to the duck, bursting into tears. He was the smallest, with large ears. He only came up to about Max's knee.

"Ain't that my little Maxie?!" Goofy says in surprise.

"You know him, Goofy?" Riku asks, summoning his Way To The Dawn.

"He's my son! Hey! Maxie!!" Goofy calls out. The boy stiffens and glances.

"Whoa! DAD?!" Max says in shock.

"Isn't your daddy dead, Max?" Mikey, the tiny mouse, asks.

"Yeah...... All of our dads, Mikey." Donny says. Mikey nods, fingering a small golden mouse symbol on a collar around his neck.

"..Grrrr... WHAT'S GOING ON?! HEY! SHOW YOURSELF!" Max demands angrily.

"You rang, Max?" A deep voice asks.

"YEAH! What's the big idea?! We weren't hatched yesterday, ya know!" Donny quacks.

".... I believe that I told you that I'd give you the chance to say good bye to your fathers. It's terrible not being able to say a final good bye to those you care about." The voice says.

"Who's there?!" Riku demands.

"Hello Riku. Hello Kairi. You're looking well." A tall man in a long black cloak appears, behind the three boys.

"But... My daddy's not here." Mikey protests.

"Hiya guys! What's the big emergency?" King Mickey's voice rings out. He appears in front of the group.

"Dad!" Mikey says, blinking back tears.

"KING MICKEY'S SON?!" Everyone repeats in shock.

"Huh?" King Mickey blinks in surprise at the tiny mouse staring back at him.

"Hello my King. It's a pleasure to see you." The man bows, and then Max, Donny and Mikey decide to follow his example.

"You! Aren't you the one who broke into the Castle a few nights ago?" King Mickey asks.

"Merely to say congratulations to the newest member of your family, your Majesty." the man says.

"Wait.... If Dad and King Mickey are here.... Then does that mean we're in the PAST?!" Max asks, his eyes widening. The man nods.

"Yes, and I believe you three might need to see who Keyxs truly is." The man points to Sora.

"LEMME AT HIM! HE KILLED DAD!" Max snarls, his small shield ready to go. The man grips Max's shoulder, preventing him from going any farther.

"Yeah! He's big trouble for all the other worlds too!" Donny says, gripping his mage's staff.

"I think he's kinda nice." Mikey says. He runs over to Sora, and helps him up.

".... King Mickey, did you get smaller?" Sora asks, dazed.

"Nope! I'm Mikey, Sora. I'm King Mickey's son." Mikey says shyly. He grins, his big ears wiggling happily.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Sora." Sora shakes the tiny mouse's hand, and smiles.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." Ion snarls.

"... Ion, behave." The man says.

"Easy for you to say, Keyblade Master." Ion smirks as the man stiffens.

"I thought I said not to call me that."

"You did. I'm calling you that anyway." the man sighs.

"Keyblade Master? .... SORA?!" Kairi and Riku say in unison.

"...... Yes, it's me. The one used to be known as Sora." The man winces and removes his hood. A familiar face, exactly the same except for the marks of age and misery, stares back at them. Familiar blue eyes twinkle, although not with the same brand of cheerfulness as Sora's did now.

"Gawsh, Sora! You sure got bigger!" Goofy says. Max snickers, laughing at his dad's silliness.

".... I AM almost 20 years old, Goofy. It's great to see you three, though." Sora's older self continues, smiling sadly. The young trio take this as a cue to run to their fathers. They rapidly start speaking, and the others turn to the man portraying himself as Sora.

"... How do we know you're REALLY Sora? I mean, you sure look like him, but still." Axel says suspiciously.

"..... Don't you trust me?" Sora's older self says with a winning smile. Axel's only response is to summon his Eternal Flames.

"Thought so.... My name is actually Xoras now." Xoras says, shrugging.

"Huh? Xoras?" Kairi repeats. He nods.

"Well, everyone else took new names, and I don't particularly feel like what I used to be. It kinda fits me." Xoras says.

"Not to mention the fact that nobody knows you exis-" Xoras glares at Ion, who just smirks.

"What? You WERE the one hiding in the Dark Margin while Keyxs was out destroyin' the worlds and all." Ion shrugs, a pleased expression on your face.

"Ion... The sooner we make you complete again, the better. I really dislike your attitude." Xoras tells her. Ion shrugs, obviously not caring.

"What?! IS SHE XION?!" Roxas demands.

"Yup, Xion was my old name. Got a problem with it, spikey?" Ion says threateningly. She summons a pair of black chakrams, similar to Eternal Flames but with much longer spikes.

"Behave, Heartless girl." Xoras says, summoning a giant golden bow. He nocks an arrow and aims toward Ion's chest. She eyes him, and nods.

".... Sure thing. I'm not becoming Unbirth chow." Ion drops the chakrams, and taps her foot waiting.

"Max, Donny, Mikey. Time to go." Xoras says. They nod and give their dads one last hug before vanishing in a flash of light.

".... Now. Onto business, eh?" Ion says.

"... What do you mean?" Namine asks.

"You really think we only came to let those three see their daddies? As if, Memory Witch!" Ion snaps.

"If I'm correct, you have not defeated the third Keyhole, right?" Xoras says to Sora.

"Huh? How do you know that?" Sora asks. Xoras smiles.

"Because. I _AM _the third Keyhole." Xoras clenches his fist, and a giant padlock appears on his chest. It gleams with the power of darkness, and the world begins to fade away.

"Let's see just what path you've chosen, little one." Xoras says, nocking another golden arrow to his bow.

"The path with my friends!" Sora taunts, summoning his Keyblade.


	40. A Glimpse Into The Future

**Again.**

**No idea, maybe I should stop drinking Koolaid so early in the morning...?**

**Anywhos! I'm making it my goal to finish this story by the weekend, the ending's all wrapped up and ready for me to post it.**

**So... THIS TIME FOR REAL, we're almost done!**

**and we're nearly at three hundred reviews.... holy crap.**

**I never thought this would be so popular.**

**you guys rock.**

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**Unknown Location**

"Welcome to Veritas, Keyblade Masters." Xoras's voice says, lost in a fog of black smoke.

"HEY! WHERE ARE YOU?!" Axel calls out, unable to even see three inches in front of him.

"Axel! Is this you?" Roxas says, he sounded as if he was nearby.

"Yeah, hang on!" Axel mutters a fire spell and throws it as hard as he can in front of him. The fire gleams in the fog, before being consumed by darkness.

"I don't think we can use magic here!" Goofy says, feeling around for Donald.

"OOOWW!!! You big palooka!" Donald quacks angrily.

"Sorry Donald!" Goofy apologizes.

"WHOA!" The fog suddenly lifts, revealing everyone's location. However, there were a few other changes as well...

"WHY AM I LEA?!" Axel shouts, now a teenager. He had the same striking red hair, now spiked upwards, and similarly colored eyes, though now slightly more blue green. He's wearing a sleeveless orange jacket with a white, sleeveless shirt underneath, and baggy, tan pants with red and white sneakers. The pockets of his jacket are a much darker shade of orange than the rest of it, almost maroon. He's also wearing a yellow and brown striped scarf called a keffiyeh around his neck.

".... Axel?" Roxas says in surprise.

"..... Hey, what's up with the fashion changes?" Axel/Lea asks, eyeing them suspiciously.

"Huh?" Everyone looks down and gasps in surprise. Their ordinary clothes had vanished, replacing them with various types of armors. Each had their Keyblade or other weapons in hand.

".... This is totally bizarre." Riku says, clad in pure white armor. Chains connect several of the armor plates, each seeming to glow independantly. Silver streaks on the boots and gauntlets of the armor were the only other color on his new clothes.

"Hey... This is pretty much the same as my old clothes." Roxas comments. He had on black and white armor, with an emblem on each shoulder, the same on the zipper of his jacket. His gauntlets and thick metal boots were much heavier than Riku's appeared to be, even having thick spikes used for fighting, with black and gold chains wrapped around the wrists and ankles.

"....... Does this usually happen here?" Namine asks. She had a lightly colored blue suit of armor, a tranquil blue. It was much more feminine, even having a series of segmented tassets seeming to take on the appearance of an armored skirt. Similar to Roxas's, her armored gauntlets had knuckle spikes, used to punch enemies. Her sky blue boots however, were very light, suitable for rapid movements. Kairi had similar armor, only in a dark shade of gold.

"Yes, since this world cannot lie. These are your true forms." A soft voice says. Sora smiles at them, clad in armor seeming to be made of a combination of Riku's and Roxas's. The chains of Riku's armor were much more prominent in Sora's, in a dark black. Roxas's gauntlets and boots were recreated in Sora's suit of armor, only in a gleaming silver. Sora's trademark silver crown was proudly etched on each shoulder, and even on his set of silver earrings. Nobody symbols, Heartless symbols, and Sora's own crown, all set in the helix of his ear.

"..... I'm... complete?" Xion's soft voice says. She looks at her hands, and then lightly touches her now dark blue eyes. Sora smiles encouragingly at her, and nods. She smiles, and a single tears falls from her eyes, trickling onto the gray armor that she now wore.

"In this world, your true form is revealed. Riku's as the future Keyblade Master. Roxas as the Key of Destiny, a fearsome warrior. Namine as Kairi's Nobody, honoured in this world. Kairi, the Seventh Princess of Heart." Sora says.

"What about me? I mean, I'm my Other again." Axel protests, tweaking at his keffiyah.

"Axel, your Other, Lea, is your only other form. I'm sorry, but you don't get cool armor." Sora laughs.

"Eh? He sure is in a good mood." Axel comments.

"... It feels good to be back in my old form." Sora says, summoning a golden bow.

"WHOA, HE'S-" Riku starts to say.

"I'm Xoras." Xoras says calmly.

"Wait! SO YOU'RE REALLY SORA?!" Riku demands angrily. Xoras simply nods.

"... Keyxs... should be arriving shortly." Xoras says, glancing around himself.

"... You don't mean-" Kairi realizes in horror.

"Yo. Long time no see, Xoras! Didn't I lock you up?" An unfamiliar voice says, a dark and harsh voice. A boy in heavy black armor smirks viciously at Xoras, his mismatched eyes gleaming with blood-lust.

"Hello Keyxs." Xoras greets him. Keyxs just laughs.

"I'm not going to repeat myself. How'd you get out of my head?" Keyxs points to his temple, and begins to laugh again. It was a cruel sound, harsh and merciless as the one who it belonged to was.

"... Ion let me out. Just as I intend to let Xion out compeltely." Xoras tells him, fearlessly glaring at him in the eyes.

"Whatever, you STILL can't beat me. You're too weak, kiddo." Keyxs taunts.

"Sora! It's us, dammit! Wake up!" Riku yells. Keyxs briefly turns his eyes to Riku's and then turns away, guilt clouding the single blue green orb. The gold one shows no such feelings.

"Sora's still in there! Somewhere, Sora's still there." Kairi whispers, her entire body shaking. Keyxs overhears this and grins.

"Oh really? Like this?" Keyxs closes his eyes, and then reopens them. They flash a brillant blue.

"Help me Kairi! I can't see anything! PLEASE!! DON'T LEAVE ME IN THIS DARKNESS ALONE!!" A tortured version of Sora's voice screams.

"SORA!" Keyxs smirks, his eyes flashing back to normal.

"That's how I killed you in the first place, Kairi. You still believed that Sora was there. .... Oh man, that look in your eyes when you finally got it in your little Princess head that there was only me." Keyxs says, chuckling at the memory.

"You see now what we have to destroy?" Xoras tells them, then suddenly Keyxs laughs.

"Maybe once upon a time, you could have killed me, but you chose to relive your little memories, right? You spent four years in my head, being with your friends again, while I did all the work!" Keyxs mockingly sighs, and shrugs.

"No matter. You're here now! That's what counts." Keyxs says, summoning a giant scythe. It gleamed with a massive amount of energy, pulsing with dark light.

".... Obitus Mortuus, bring me victory." Keyxs says to it, turning his gaze onto Riku's.

"... Riku. When I tell you, close your eyes." Xoras commands.

"WHAT?! He's gonna-"

"TRUST ME!" Xoras yells. Riku nods.

"READY?!" Keyxs screams, insanity clouding his judgement, and making him very twitchy.

"... Now, and summon your Keyblade." Xoras says. Riku does as he asks.

".... Get ready." Xoras tells him. As Riku listened, all else fell away. Kairi's voice, Axel's yelling, even the sounds of fighting disappeared.

"SLASH!" Riku slashes with the Keyblade, and then feels the world change back to the way it was before.

"R...iku..." He hears a gurgled gasp. Riku opens his eyes. Sora crumbles to the floor.

"..... Heal." Xoras says to the helpless Sora. Sora's breathing becomes a little easier, and the color starts coming back into his face.

"Riku, it's your choice." Xion says. She was older now, but she looked complete. Ion was no more.

"You can let him die, or you can let him live. Your choice." Xoras tells him. He summons his golden bow, nocks an arrow onto the string, and glances at Riku for his order.

"Don't!" Riku immediately says. Xoras sighs, and the bow vanishes from his grasp.

"Kairi, here." Xoras walks over to Kairi, and her Keyblade flashes with light. It seals the Keyhole on Xoras's chest and then the Keyhole fades away.

"Not very impressive, I'm sure." Xoras says, shrugging.

"Let's go!" Xion demands, glancing around nervously.

"Hm.... Perhaps we've showed them too much. The Counsel won't be pleased." Xoras comments, straightening up. He opens a portal with a snap of his fingers.

"Wait! What.... can we do to stop that.. thing?" Kairi begs.

"That's up to Sora. ... Riku, Kairi, all you can do is ask him about his dreams. You're going to be surprised." Xoras says as he steps through the portal.

"Axel.... Roxas... I'm sorry for what I'm going to do.... "Xion says briefly, before vanishing.

"His.... dreams?"

_Unknown Location_

**Have you chosen your path?**

"Yes.... I know what to do now."

**..... Then your pride shall cause your destruction.**

"... The pride before the fall, right? Sorry, but I'm not interested in that whole taking over Kingdom Hearts thing."

**You're a fool.**

"And proud of it."

**Why would you willingly choose this path? You DO realize what's on it?**

"Yup."

**Then?**

"I'm not really all that scared to die."

**You're either the bravest soul I've ever met, or a complete fool.**

"Probably the second one."

**Hmph. You realize that you cannot change your fate, correct?**

"That doesn't mean I'm not gonna try."

**Hmph. It was the first one, then.**

"Gee, thanks! That means a lot. Maybe I CAN change this."

**I doubt it. **

"Yeah.... As long as that monster's not born, I'm happy."

**Keyxs's primal form is already inside your Heart.**

"Yikes, that sounds bad."

**It is.**

"... Is there any way to get it out, Fotios?"

**..... You already know. But then it'll become the problem of the rest of the worlds.**

"Including _YOUR_ world."

**Yes. Including mine.**

"How'd it get there, anyway? I mean, I don't think I _CHOSE_ for it to be there."

**No, you didn't. Someone planted it there.**

".... The one in the memories?"

**The very same. That ****traitorous**** Black Heart!**

"I'm guessing you don't like him very much."

**No. He's betrayed the Counsel, even dragging his own siblings into the darkness with him.**

"Feralis. Anti. Adrian."

**Correct. He then formed his own Council, to destroy we whom keep the balance of the worlds.**

"Wow, he sounds like a bad guy."

**You don't know the half of it. We've spent millennia trying to destroy him.**

"I'm sure Riku can do it. He IS Keyblade Master and all."

**Perhaps.**

"He'll be a good Keyblade Master. I'm sure of it."

**You sound like you've ready to give up.**

"I already have."


	41. Sora's Dream

**OKAY!**

**We're almost done, just two or three more chapters!**

**And.... we hit 300.. Reviews.**

**Once again, you guys rock.**

**And the first chapter of Reconnecting Another Story is already typed and ready!**

**BTW, I changed the name of the sequel after seeing the secret movies on KH wiki.**

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**Radiant Gardens**

"Everything is about to change." Sora tells Riku. They were both just sitting on one of the towers of the Hallow Bastion Castle. Riku had brought some drinks, but the sodas were remaining untouched as Sora just sits over the ledge of the tower, similar to Roxas on the Clock Tower.

"Oh yeah? How?" Riku asks. Sora sighs.

"I don't know. But.... Something's going to happen soon. I can feel it." Sora confirms, finally reaching over to pick up a can of soda. He absent-mindingly pops the tab and just holds it in his hand.

"Kairi's worried about you. The second you woke up, you ran up here." Riku says, changing the subject. He was concerned too. If what Xoras said was true, then Sora was as lost as Riku was about a year ago. Riku didn't want his friend to end up on that path.

"Yeah... I need time to think. Sora says, rolling the can from one hand to another.

".... Hang on. Since when do you think?" Riku jokes, trying to make Sora laugh. Sora just glances at him, and then shakes his head.

"I've been thinking a lot lately.... Like whether all this... is even real or not. Maybe I'm just asleep. Maybe this is all a nightmare and I'm gonna wake up, to my mom yelling at me to get my butt downstairs so I can eat some real food for a change." Sora grins a little at the thought, and then resumes his melancholy mood.

"Pretty stupid nightmare." Riku comments, yawning slightly. He hadn't gotten much rest lately. Too much worrying over a certain spiky headed idiot.

"Mind if I join you?" Kairi asks, climbing up one of the turrets on the tower. Sora raises an eyebrow at the sight, and grins.

"Sure, we ALWAYS got time for you, Kairi." Riku nudges Sora, who just glares at him. Kairi takes a seat between the two, holding up a plate of food for the two of them.

"Thanks a lot, Riku!" Kairi says, handing them the plates of food. They dig in, both noticeably with no appetite. They spent several minutes in silence, but that silence said more than words could ever say.

"........ Sora, do you dream?" Kairi asks softly. Sora's eyes widen and he chokes a bit on a roll. Coughing violently, he chugs his can of soda.

"Well?" Riku says, interested by Sora's reaction.

"Wh-What makes you say that? I dream, sometimes." Sora says, turning away from his friends.

"About what?" Riku asks casually. Sora glares at him suspiciously, knowing that they weren't asking just to make conversation.

"... Stuff."

"What KIND of 'Stuff', Sora?" Kairi questions.

".... Bad stuff, so bad that I think I'm going crazy. There, happy?" Sora says angrily. He grits his teeth and crossly keeps eating the roll.

"Liiike?" Riku continues.

"Can we please talk about something else?!" Sora demands. Kairi flinches slightly from his tone and Riku just flashes Sora a glare.

"We're your friends Sora. Don't you trust us?" Riku snarls. Sora tightens his hand into a fist but decides to talk.

".... I saw Xion die."

"WHAT?!"

"What do you mean that you saw Xion die? When?" Riku questions.

".... About a month or two after we got home. ... I saw her die, in a dream." Sora says, shaking his head.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Kairi asks, placing her hand on Sora's shoulder.

"... I didn't think it'd come true...... I didn't know who she was, I thought maybe she was you, Kairi.... But, I couldn't do anything to stop it from happening anyway." Sora says, a guilty expression on his face.

"What else?" Riku says, a hint of commanding in his voice.

".... Kairi... she died too. Riku, I saw you become Keyblade Master.... Namine burning alive, trying to protect something..... Axel, being killed by Roxas, because of Xion. Aqua, Terra, and Ventus teaching you and Kairi how to fight. And ... the first Keyblade War." Sora finishes, holding his head in his hands.

"The what?"

"... A war fought between Keyblade Masters for a special Keyblade.... I don't remember much of that dream." Sora says, averting his eyes from his friends.

"Tell us a dream you remember, Sora." Kairi requests.

"................ Well.... It was of Riku. And of King Mickey. " Sora begins to tell his story.

Flashback

"You've tested me for the last time, your Majesty." The voice snarls, spitting out the words as if they were venom.

"You can't win, Keyxs! Sora's gonna come back!" King Mickey says defiantly.

"Oh really? What makes you say that?" Keyxs says, grinning viciously.

"Cause Sora always keeps his promises! And he promised to come back for Kairi!" King Mickey declares. He summons his Keyblade, Star Seeker. Keyxs just smirks. It sickened King Mickey to look on that face, seeing how close it was to his friend, Sora's. Everything was the same, except for those merciless eyes.

"Kairi is DEAD, your Highness! As you will be in a moment!" Keyxs replies, grinning.

"No! She can't be!"

"Oooh, she is! I had so much FUN, tearing her apart!" Keyxs summons his scythe.

"Your Majesty!" A slightly older Riku yells, floating on a skateboard like craft. Keyxs glances at it and laughs.

"SO!!! Aqua and Ventus taught ya how to make that?! I'm IMPRESSED!" Keyxs howls, the walls of Disney Castle vibrating with the force of the darkness he was allowing to be seeped into the very world itself.

"Riku. Get Minnie, Daisy and the kids outta here." King Mickey commands.

"I won't-"

"GO! And...." King Mickey pauses for a moment, and then he removes the Star Seeker charm from his Keyblade. It flashes and then turns back into the Kingdom Key D.

"Could ya give this to Mikey when he's older?" King Mickey requests, throwing the crescent moon shaped charm to Riku. Riku realizes what this means.

"But..."

"GET EVERYBODY OUTTA HERE RIKU! PLEASE!" King Mickey commands. Riku nods, clipping the charm to his belt. Two more charms were already there, Oathkeeper and Sora's small crown necklace's charm.

"I'll be back!" Riku says. He vanishes, bombarding Heartless and Nobodies with the hovering craft.

"So touching..... And the kiddies are in the library, right?" Keyxs taunts, smirking. King Mickey turns to him.

"You'll be leaving them alone!" He exclaims, dropping into a battle stance.

"....... Your Majesty.... You do realize Goofy and Donald are no longer among the living? Their corpses are with their children." Keyxs chuckles.

"What did you do to them?!" King Mickey demands.

".... Why.... I sent them to see Sora, of course! And poor little Maxie and Donny.... They cried so hard.... watching me strangle their fathers. I WAS going to give them the same fate, but.... I heard from my little friends that you appeared in the Throne Room... I decided to spare them for a minute while I came after you." Keyxs explains, clashing energy humming around the pair.

"....... Donald... Goofy.... Thank you." King Mickey says softly to his fallen friends.

"I WON'T LET THEM DIE IN VAIN!" King Mickey yells, finally attacking. Keyxs simply moves, and then grabs King Mickey by the scruff of the neck.

"I thought... that you'd be a better fighter. Good bye, your Majesty." Keyxs says, tightening his Mickey struggles, but Keyxs smiles and sends a tendril of darkness coiling around the small mouse's neck, like a noose. Moments later, the King falls to the floor, his eyes growing blank.

".... DESTROY THIS MISERABLE LITTLE PLACE! KILL ANYONE YOU FIND! AND DESTROY THE CORNERSTONE!" Keyxs commands to the army of Heartless, laughing as they start creating utter chaos.

"I'll be back for you." Riku snarls, now alone. He had seen the Queen and her companions off and had come back to try and find the King.

"I'll be waiting... for you to finally gain enough strength to even attempt to defeat my Masters and I." Keyxs says, a dark grin curling across his lips.

End Flashback

"...." The three remain silent.

"King... Mickey too?" Riku questions. Sora nods.

"..... That's... horrible..." Kairi says finally.

".... Hey... What's that?" Sora asks, looking out to the horizon. They all feel a sudden chill, as if they'd just been submerged in a pool of ice water. Heartless.

"There's so many of them!" Kairi says.

"... The Dark Manipulator. That's what's controlling them." Sora mutters to himself.

".... Let's go, NOW!" Riku says, summoning his Way To The Dawn.

"I'll warn the others!" Kairi runs down the stairs, calling out a warning to their friends. Sora and Riku rush after her, pausing a moment as Kairi finds Axel.

"Riku!" Sora grabs Riku's wrist.

"What?" Riku asks, shocked by the determined look on Sora's face. Sora hands him an envelope.

"If something happens, give that to Kairi. Do you understand?" Sora questions. Riku shakes his head.

"Nothing's going to happen, Sora." Riku tries to say. Sora just smiles solemnly.

"Something IS about to happen, and all the worlds are about to change. I just don't know if it's for good or bad. Either way, it's going to happen. We're about to lose something, and about to gain something just as precious." Sora answers, the gleam in his eyes revealing all to those who were careful enough to look.


	42. A New Keyblade Master

**HAHAHAHA! I DID IT!**

**THE SECOND TO LAST CHAPTER IS FINALLY DONE!!!**

**Ahem, if you guys are wondering how I updated so fast, I had one of the scenes written months ahead.**

**The next chapter is already being edited. **

**And since I won't be doing author(ess) notes.....**

**Thanks you guys, for liking this, and I hope that you like the sequel!**

**I'm trying to make it more... Kingdom Hearts style.**

**so until then, this has been ForbiddenKHFan216!**

**Thanks again!**

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xxx x x x x xx x x x X**

**Radiant Gardens**

"... MAN! How many of them are they?!" Axel says, spotting the giant army from several miles away. It was that large.

"Thousands, definitely. Perhaps millions." Zexion, who had recently come to aid Sora, comments.

"That doesn't make me feel any better. The game is in their favor." Luxord says, eyeing the incoming hoard.

"We must not let them destroy our home." Lexaeus says coldly.

"May I be of some assistance?" A chilly voice asks. Everyone turns around, and Axel yelps at the sight of the person.

"VEXEN!?" Vexen merely raises an eyebrow, before smirking.

"Your pathetic attack did nothing, Axel. I shall not die so easily." Vexen chuckles.

"So... um, are you on our side?" Roxas asks carefully.

"I am loyal to Master Ansem." Vexen says instead. He summons his Frozen Pride shield.

"Kay, always ready to have someone on the team." Demyx says, nervously strumming his sitar.

"Geez... At least Xaldin's not here." Xigbar comments.

"GET READY! It's gonna be big!" Sora shouts, jetting past them.

"Say what?! Let's go then!" The ex-members all summon their weapons, ready to fight for their old home.

Unknown Location in Radiant Gardens

"Hmph.... There they go, runnin' like little mice. Ugh, makes mah skin crawl." He spits on the ground, defiantly.

"Sister, have you enough energy?" A boy questions.

"Shuddap! It's hard enough controlling the Manipulator without you morons blabbin'! SO SHUT IT!" A teenage girl pants, her arms and legs wrapped up in long cords of black chains.

"Sora.... What choice will you make?" A young child, small in stature but quite wise in the ways of the worlds, questions. She knew the boy called Sora extremely well, and knowing that he was backed into a corner. The four on the hillside just watch the battle take place in front of them, as they transmit information to another world, another Castle.

Great Maw (Radiant Gardens)

"MAN! There's too many of them!" Axel howls, launching another fire attack.

"BE QUIET AND KEEP FIGHTING YOU IGNORAMUS!!!" Zexion yells, casting another series of spells onto the Heartless. Monsters faced on other worlds, had all gathered to fight Sora and his friends.

"Kairi, watch your step!" Sora commands, slashing at a Dark Side. The Guard Armor, similar to the one from Traverse Town, stomps its armored legs at Riku, who barely manages to dodge it.

"C'mon then! Axel, focus!" Roxas says, attacking the Twilight Thorn. Axel grins, and then runs up the Nobody's back, slicing its armored head off. Besides the giant Heartlesses and Nobodies, there were plenty of smaller enemies making nuisances of themselves.

"HEY WATCH IT!" Luxord simply snarls as the Invisible he was fighting, vanishing.

"Insolent creature!" Vexen casts more magic onto his comrades, allowing them to keep on fighting.

"You ugly little! Okay, now we're talking!!" Xigbar says, transforming his Sharpshooters into a rifle like weapon.

"Stay focused, can you handle that?" Leon taunts Cloud, slashing Soldiers left and right with his Gunblade.

"Heh. Can you?" Cloud smirks and slices a Darkball in half, causing it to vanish.

"Come on, keep to the beat!" Demyx sings, strumming faster and faster on Arpeggio. More and more smaller Heartless are drawn into his watery cyclone. He seemed to be enjoying himself, despite his dislike of fighting.

"... We can't last much longer." Sora realizes. There seemed no end to the Heartless.... except....

"RIKU! I KNOW WHAT TO DO!" Sora yells.

"SORA, KEEP FIGHTING!" Riku tells him. He hadn't heard him properly.

"This is never going to end.... unless _I_ end it." Sora says outloud. He comes to a decision, and then turns in the direction of the Heartless he'd seen controlling all the others.

Riku!" Sora called out in the middle of the battle.

"WHAT?! I'm a LITTLE BUSY HERE!" Riku snarls as he dodges a Heartless tank's cannon.

"Please take care of her."

"Huh?" Riku turns around but just sees the final image of his best friend smiling sadly back over his shoulder before running toward the Dark Manipulater, a giant tank like Heartless, with chains emerging from its form into the ground, forming shadows which it used to control the numerous Heartless at its command.

"WAIT! SORA!" Kairi screams, as a hoard of Heartless rush at her. Riku steps forward and sends a wave of dark energy, destroying them.

"HEY!" Roxas cries out but then the moment as he steps forward, a shining barrier emerges, blocking the Keyblade Master from his battling friends.

"SORA, WAIT!" Axel yells as he dodges various Heartless.

"I'm not scared of you, I'm not scared of the future! It's not going to happen anymore!" Sora screams, his voice cracking slightly. He charges forward and slashes viciously at the looming Heartless. Golden light streams from the Keyblade as it flashes through the air. The Heartless hisses as Sora's attack finally begins to destroy it. Sora smiles, relieved. He turns back to his friends, a big smile on his face.

"BEHIND YOU!!!" Kairi screams. It took but a moment.

"....?" Sora turns around, just in time to have the Manipulator's hidden blade like tail pierce through his chest and stab out his Heart.

"No..." Sora gasps out, his lips colored with trickling scarlet blood. The force of the Heartless's blade slams him into the barrier, shattering it in thousands of shards.

"NOOO!" Kairi wails and she rushes forward to him. The injured boy glances up at her face. She cradles his head carefully, tears streaming down her face. Her tears mingle with the dark crimson of his blood, leaving a small clear river streaking down his face. He rips his necklace from its silver chain and puts it in her hand. He whispers, something so softly, she could barely hear.

"K...ai...ri...-" He whispers, tears cascading from his eyes. He smiles; wincing with the pain he would soon no longer feel.

"Don't talk! You're hurt!" Kairi says, panicking.

"I'm... sorry.…..ever..y…on…e… I...couldn't..." Sora's eyes widen and he gives a final gasp. His blue eyes smile briefly up at her, and at the beautiful clear sky overhead. They shut, and the sapphire blue light is lost, forever.

"SORA! Come back! COME BACK! SORA! SORA!!" Kairi wails. The crown charm tumbles from her hand, falling into the dark crimson pool around her. Sora's face is peaceful, in its mask of deep red.

"... No... NO!" Riku screams and then with a flash, the Keyblade vanishes from Sora's limp hand. The air around Riku's flashes and it reappears.

"..... The... New Keyblade Master." Axel sneers softly, hate obvious on his face and in his emerald eyes. Kairi whimpers as she touches Sora's pale face.

"So.... Sora....?" She whispers, and then with tears and blood mixing on her cheeks, she gives him a final kiss on the cheek, tears streaming down her face as she stares in shock at the lifeless form that once was Sora, her beloved friend.

"............. Sora. I don't want it. Come back. COME BACK." Riku demands, his own tears falling from his eyes.

"No!" A golden light engulfs the peaceful warrior's body and as they watch, helpless, he vanishes. Leaving behind four gleaming charms.

"Two in One." Roxas says and picks it up.

"True Light's Flight." Namine sobs as she picks it up.

".......Kingdom Key. Ultimia." Riku whispers. Kairi's eyes grow dull as she stares at the blood stains on both her dress and on her hands. She starts to scream, a primal howl. She screams her anguish to the sky, to the worlds that let the Keyblade Master die.

"..............." She falls limp, unable to take it anymore.

"Sora... Sora..." She sobs and screams, crimson stained hands clutching at her shattering heart. She then crumples to the ground, his crown tumbling from her hand.

":Sora.... You really knew what was going to happen... You know what path to take so you wouldn't hurt anybody ever again." Riku says, picking up the now unconsious Kairi. They all begin walking back toward Radiant Gardens, the Heartless had all vanished the moment Sora had.

Behind them, three figures snarl in anger.

"HOW?! How did he?!" A boy snarls, confusion racking his face.

"We must report to Elder Brother." The girl, who had been controlling the Manipulator says, absolutely three vanish, leaving behind a single girl. The only one of the figures who seems slightly relieved.

"..... You finally understood, Sora. What it meant to go willingly." the small child says, removing her hood. Shining blue eyes and soft black hair meet the sunlight. The girl seemed to be a smaller version of a beloved friend, who had gone away.

"Xion would be proud." Anti says to the sky above.


	43. A New Beginning?

**Destiny Islands **

"Sora's gone now. He's not coming back." Riku says solemnly to Sora's parents. Only a few days ago, Sora had died. Riku had decided to tell Sora's parents soon after returning to Destiny Islands with Kairi. He had come to their home, to explain what had happened to their only son.

"Riku, that's not funny. Where is Sora?" Sora's father asks sternly.

"Riku, are you two in some kind of trou-" Sora's mother starts to say.

"Sora's dead." Riku chokes out, not bearing to make it anyless blunt. They deserved to know. He watches as Sora's parents look at him in horror and glance at each other.

_I can't.... Tell them... I can't._ Just telling them was making him relive Sora's painful look in his eyes, the wise look knowing that he was about to die.

"Riku..." Sora's mom reaches out her hand and grasps Riku's.

"He can't be. This is all a joke, right?" Sora's father demands, not wanting to believe him..

"I wish it was.... I'm sorry... I cou-couldn't protect him... I'M SORRY!" Riku begs, his eyes filling up with tears. He didn't want to apologize to them. He wanted to apologize to the one he'd failed to protect.

"... No... Sora.... SORA!!" Sora's mother starts to cry, realizing at last that Riku was telling the truth.

"I'm sorry... I'm really sorry, I wish that it had been me." Riku says, wiping away tears angrily.

"DON'T YOU EVER SAY THAT AGAIN YOUNG MAN!" Sora's father snaps.

"Huh?"

"You were... like a brother to Sora.... He looked up to you.... Tell me.... Did it ... hurt? When he died?" Sora's mother asks, her entire body trembling. Both parents looked to him, a pair of blue and brown eyes watching, full of grief for their only child. Their little boy, lost to them forever.

"..... No. He died peacefully." Riku lies, can't standing to see the hurt and pained expression on those loving faces.

".... Thank you... Riku... But we're not the only ones who need you right now." Sora's mother says, wiping away tears. She trembles but holds his gaze bravely.

"Huh?" Riku looks at them confused.

"Knowing my son, he asked you to take care of Kairi." Sora's father says with an expression of loss and pain on his face. His eyes, deep brown and warm, fill with tears once more.

"Yes... he did."

"Then? We're not the only ones in pain, Riku. Go find her and keep your pr-promise." Sora's mother says, before collapsing into tears again.

"Thank you.... And..... I really am sorry." Riku says and gets up from the kitchen table.

".... Riku." Sora's father says as Riku begins to walk out the door.

"Yes, sir?" Riku pauses.

"We forgive you." They say in unison. Riku's eyes widen and he struggles to keep his own tears in.

"Thank you.... You have no idea what that means." Riku says, his body trembling.

**Destiny Islands: Paopu tree**

"Sora....." Kairi whispers to herself. She still felt numb. She whispers the name again, and then starts feeling the cold tears pour from her eyes. She could still see him, his silly grin and those warm blue eyes.

_**Kairi? Will you be my friend?**_

"Kairi." Riku sits next to her. They were both remembering the same person.

_**I promise... I won't**_** EVER **_**leave you alone until I beat you in a race! Okay, Riku?**_

"......." Kairi remains silent, she hadn't spoken to Riku in several days, since they came back from the battlefield where Sora had died. He hands her a small notebook, complete with a tiny silver pen. She hadn't really been able to talk to him since it happened.

_**Kairi! Remember what you said before? I'm always with you, too. I'll come back to you. I promise! **_

"... Kairi... I'm sorry. But I promised him to take care of you." Riku says.

"..........." Kairi notices that Riku had been careful not to say his name.

_**And if I win, you havta be my best friend, forever! Okay?**_

"And.... I know what Sora was trying to tell you. When he..." Riku pauses.

_You don't. You don't know._ Kairi scribbles down on a page of the notebook Riku had handed her. Her heart hurt; she wanted to just give up....

_**The heart may be weak, and sometimes it may even give in. But I've learned that deep down, there's a light that never goes out!**_

"Yes I do. He was trying to say... that he loved you." Riku says.

_You're lying._

_**It wasn't a dream! Or was it? I don't know. What was that place... so bizarre...**_

"Nope. He finally got the courage to confess to you.... but.... it doesn't... matter anymore. I just wanted you to know that." Riku says.

_Go away. I hate you. It shouldn't have been him, it should have been me._ Kairi writes, tears streaming down her face.

"... You know something? There's a bunch of different worlds out there, right?" Riku says, looking at Kairi sadly.

_**I'd like to see it too. Along with any other worlds out there! I want to see 'em all! **_

_And? _Kairi says, through the piece of paper.

".... Maybe Sora's waiting for us on one of those." Riku says. Kairi's eyes widen and she thinks this over for a moment.

"You really think so?" Kairi whispers aloud, half to herself.

"Yeah. I'm sure he's there, and that he's waiting for us, and when we get there, he'll do that grin and tell us, 'Welcome home'." Riku slips his arm around Kairi, as a father would to a crying child, and smiles gently at her.

"...............I think so too... He's not gone...." Kairi sobs.

_**No! This huge, black THING swallowed me up! I couldn't breathe, I couldn't... ow!**_

"And we'll find him, maybe one day." Riku says, and they both look out to the golden red sunset.

"Riku......" Kairi says and wipes away a few tears.

"And we have to keep fighting, or Sora would get mad at us for giving up!" Riku says, a determined expression on his face.

_**C'mon, Riku! You've been hanging out in darkness too long. You gotta try and think positive!**_

"Yeah... Let's keep fighting.... for Sora." Kairi says, and stares into the sunset, remembering another day when the both of them, Sora and her, had watched it together.

_**Don't worry. I will. **_

"And when this is over, I'll find you. I promise." Kairi vows to Sora, the one she had lost.

"Do you remember when we first met you?" Riku asks suddenly.

"Yes." Kairi remembers, that first time she had seen the both of them, both of their faces so different, and yet familiar.

"Well, he whispered to me, 'who's that pretty girl? I've never seen her before, where'd she come from?'. I think he fell in love with you right then and there. And after a while.... so did I. I love you but I won't make you choose. I know that you love him. It's okay." Riku says.

_**Yeah, it was definitely Kairi. I've finally found her.**_

"......... Why did it have to be him? Why not someone else?" Kairi whispers.

".... You wish it had been me?" Riku asks, a solemn look in his eyes.

_**The darkness may destroy my body, but it can't touch my heart. My heart will stay with my friends. It'll never die!**_

"NO! I wish that no one had-" Kairi is startled to hear a chuckle come from Riku.

_**Let's be friends! All three of us! And we'll be together forever, even we're older, we won't forget each other. Even if we go far away from each other, will you both still be my friends? My bestest friends?**_

"Why don't you...." He pulls something out of his pocket. He fastens a silver necklace, Sora's crown necklace, around her neck.

_**Kairi!**_

_**Riku!**_

"- just remember for a while?" Riku finishes. Kairi stares at the necklace, thinking that it had been lost when Sora vanishes.

_**I'm not gonna give up now. I came here to find someone very important to me. **_

"How did you get this? HOW?!" Kairi sobs.

"I found it. When I went back there. I think he would have wanted you to have it."

_**But isn't there anything fun to do now?**_

"Kairi... I have this too." Riku hands her a small letter.

"He told me to give this to you." Kairi opens the crumbled envelope and begins to read.

_Kairi-_

_I don't know how to say this, I don't know if I even wrote this right._

_They've said so many things to me._

_I've seen so many things too._

_But I think..._

_Regardless of those warnings, the future doesn't scare me at all._

_But even though nothing's like it was before.. ...._

_I'm not scared, not anymore._

_You and I will once more say good bye._

_But, I'm sure Riku will be there._

_I feel kinda awkward writing this but...._

_Do you remember? What you said?_

_Don't ever forget. Wherever you go, I'm always with you._

_I'll always be with you, too._

_When I was lost in the Darkness, you shone to light my way._

_I'll always be protecting you. Even if I'm very far away._

_When I was gone, you waited._

_You waited for me, I know._

_Sometimes, waiting isn't good enough._

_But I'm sure I can wait forever._

_We've been friends for so long._

_Do you remember when you asked me never to change?_

_I won't. I promise._

_But even if you change, I'll stay the same, just for you._

_I'll come back to you - I promise._

_I'll be thinking of you, wherever you are._

_I'll pray for your sorrow to end._

_I'll hope for your heart to mend._

_And who knows? _

_Maybe..._

_Just maybe..._

_Starting this new journey won't be so hard,_

_cause maybe it's already started._

_There are so many worlds,_

_but I've learned this:_

_They all share the same sky._

_That same sky, and that same destiny._

_There'll always be that same door, the Door to Light._

_And I'll always be waiting._

_Love,_

_Sora_

"....... Sora.... Sora... SORA!!" Kairi sobs, clutching the letter close to her heart. She begins to cry, and Riku only pulls her closer, to say that he was still there for her.

_**Take care.**_

The gentle breeze seems to whisper, in such a familiar voice, as it dances through the air, caressing both Riku and Kairi in a loving embrace.

**Unknown Location**

"Just for you, pitiful one." The X flashes and the letters mix around, forming-

"Keyxs." The boy says softly, trying out his new name. His golden eyes gleam dully in the faint light.

"…. Kai…ri…." He whispers, licking his lips at the sound of the name, looking confused at the sound, and he doesn't question it. His new master would know what to do, about those memories.

"Awaken, my new comrade. Destroy the worlds by my side, destroy the foolish Keyblade Master and Princess."

"Yes, Master."

_Kairi... Riku.....Am I Sora?_

**Don't say another word. It's not over. It's just not. **

To be continued


End file.
